Posted on 04/26/2009 9:47:43 AM PDT by neverdem
Tests show that eight students at a Queens high school are likely to have contracted the human swine flu virus that has struck Mexico and a small number of other people in the United States, health officials in New York City said yesterday.
The students were among about 100 at St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows who became sick in the last few days, said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, New York City’s health commissioner.
“All the cases were mild, no child was hospitalized, no child was seriously ill,” Dr. Frieden said.
Health officials reached their preliminary conclusion after conducting viral tests on nose or throat swabs from the eight students, which allowed them to eliminate other strains of flu. Officials were also suspicious since some St. Francis students recently had been to Mexico, where the outbreak is believed to have started.
The president in Mexico assumed emergency powers to deal with the crisis, which has killed at least 81 people and infected about 1,300 others. All public gatherings have been banned, including more than 500 concerts and sporting events and the popular bicycle rides on closed boulevards.
Dr. Margaret Chan, the director-general of the World Health Organization, said the events in Mexico “constitute a public health emergency of international concern.”
The W.H.O. convened an emergency meeting of experts on Saturday, but the panel adjourned without raising the global pandemic alert level, saying it wanted more information. Some experts expressed surprise that no action was taken since the Mexico outbreak seems to meet the definition of a Level 4 alert — sustained human-to-human transmission of a new virus. The alert has been at Level 3 for years because of small clusters of human cases of avian flu.
In the United States, so far, at least 11 swine flu cases have...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I saw a report a few years back about avenues for dispersal of biowarfare agents through the population. The authors had found that American society, because of our widespread use of disposable containers, our dispersed population and advanced sanitation technology, would be fairly resistant to debilitating bio-attack. The “Achilles heel,” so to speak was one population group: teenagers.
I was thinking Tom Clancy’s “Executive Orders,” or King’s “The Stand...” forgot all about that one.
Nowehere is the link between llegal immigration, bad health care in the home country of Mexico, and swine flu coming to TX and CA ever mentioned.
The disease, the cause we cannot talk about.
http://twitter.com/CDCemergency
Keep your powder dry. More fear than knowledge is in the news, IMHO. This late season flu is also consistent with global cooling. All fatalities have been south of the Mexican border, IIRC.
I said yesterday that the DHHS was asking DMATS for spanish speaking people to go to Mexico or border..my hubby is one!
Has anyone thought about the man who died of this flu just days after the 0 shook hands with him?
The WH says 0 is okay, but the other guy died. Who gave who what?
Never let a crisis go to waste.
So what are you recommending for patients exposed to or with early flu symptons? (TamiFlu?)
Thanks
A question. These 8 kids from Prep test positive but have a very mild case. Several were playing hoops yesyerday. Mexico has dozens of people succumbing from the virus.Is there a medical reason for the seeming difference.
It’s the Mexican Swine Flu. Let’s all portray Mexico as Mexico really is “a turd world” Hell Hole and petri dish for Terrorism! Get a clue FReepers, get aboard the contaminated bus to hell.
Also, there could be a very minor genetic difference that accounts for the deaths. The Spanish Flu in 1918 was a bird flu (burd flew) that differs little from others, but it was quite deadly.
Did I not say this yesterday about Tea Parties in the U.S.?
Thanks for the ping!
Based on some other reports, it's possible the guy already had AIDS and atypical pneumonia before he contracted the flu.
That's Tamiflu and Relenza, respectively.
How many homeschooled students are falling ill from swine flu?
I’d hazard a guess that it’s far less than we’ll see in the public school system.
You know, though, I know the flu can be dangerous, but I can’t help but wonder what kind of immunity it can grant those who catch it against other strains of avian or swine flu. It’d be interesting to see what the health of those who have it is down the road in subsequent flu seasons.
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