Posted on 04/25/2009 1:09:10 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Gov. Rick Perry Saturday asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 37,430 courses of antiviral medications from the Strategic National Stockpile as a precaution after three cases of swine flu were confirmed in Texas.
The medication will be available for treatment of those with confirmed or suspected cases of swine flu as well as for healthcare providers who may come into contact with the patients, Perry said.
All three of the Texas cases involved high school students from the same school in Guadalupe County.
The first two became ill in early April and on Thursday test results confirmed both had swine flu.
The third student became ill until this past week.
Lab results are pending, Perry said.
There is no apparent direct connection between the first two students and the third, Perry said.
All three have recovered, Perry said.
Also, a 10-year-old California boy traveled to the state through Dallas before he was diagnosed with the strain.
The Department of State Health Services, however, says other cases may have gone undiagnosed.
DSHS has contacted other students from the school since April 11 and has determined that eight students were absent because of flu-like illnesses.
"There is a reasonable chance that the current swine flu situation will not expand," DSHS Commissioner David Lakey said.
"However, we must take prudent steps to ensure the state is prepared if it does.
“In addition to the antiviral medications previously purchased by the state, these additional medications will be available for the state as appropriate to prevent further spread of the virus,” he said.
Symptoms of swine flu, which are similar to those of seasonal flu, include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite and coughing, and in some cases runny noses, sore throats, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan says the outbreak involves "an animal strain of the H1N1 virus, and it has pandemic potential."
The CDC says two flu drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem effective against the new strain.
Drug-maker Roche says the company is prepared to quickly deploy its drug stockpile if requested.
As many as 68 people may have died of swine flu in Mexico, although the strain has been confirmed in just 20 of the deaths.
More than a thousand others are sick.
Mexico City is suspending all public events for 10 days as officials try to contain the outbreak.
WHO Human Swine Influenza Site http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
CDC Human Swine Flu Investigation Site http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm
It’s Bush’s Fault!
This is exactly how we’ve been warned that a pandemic would begin. First you hear about it on foreign soil (we were expecting Asia or Europe, but I think Mexico qualifies), then on the east and west coasts.
Hmmmm... number of Registered Republicans in the area of concern?
Yes, this would not be a whimsical request by the governor.
That is probably the number of medical professionals deemed essential to handle a pandemic.
Sure am glad he is on top of this. Perry is very good in emergencies. I feel a bit safer with him in charge right now. Maybe he will finally close the border....lol.
Thanks for that. Here are some more:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/releases/swine_flu.shtm
http://twitter.com/CDCemergency
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm?s_cid=tw_epr_59
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluUS.aspx?s_cid=tw_epr_57
I expect to see something in Northern Virginia soon, in either Arlington or Fairfax Counties.
Arlington is an illegal alien sanctuary county run by hard core Socialists.
So why does this seem different than the SARS panic? Sometimes I get paranoid for no reason other than I live in a strange country now (post-11/4/08).
Is this media hype or are they keeping something from us?
Where's OUR Tamiflu???????
sw
Sometimes he tends to over prepare but I would rather have the meds available and not need them, than to need them and they aren’t available.
Have yall asked for it?
With Obama in charge, they are likely keeping something from us. Just because we are paranoid doesn’t mean we aren’t being followed...lol.
It really is scary..especially with the bozos in charge of our government now.
They can't go off and give it to one state and not another.
sw
Me too. Not always a big fan of Perry, but he has done good in emergencies and he won’t take any crap from the federal government.
If our Gov't came out and made the statement that they have opened up their supply of Tamiflu to ALL the US States, then people would feel abit more secure.
Show me where I said NOT to help Texas.
sw
If your governor requested this, I would think, hmm...good idea. Maybe we should too. I guess we just see things differently.
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