According to the mathematical model worked out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there should be about 1 million Americans infected with the H1N1 virus by now. However, those who have been infected with the virus showed mild symptoms and illness as well as a fairly quick recovery.
But, the virus seems to migrate from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, where the winter is about to start and the flu season is on the way. Nevertheless, “the virus is not mutating for the moment, it is stable.” Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization said in Moscow. Although the H1N1 infections seemed to be mild, it was also warned that medical professionals needed to do more protection on them so as to avoid getting infected with the virus. According to statistics, it was reported that a small number of health care workers have been infected with the virus while at work.
Meanwhile, China is now testing the vaccine for the influenza A (H1N1) and it is expected that the vaccine will be out in the market in September, just before the winter when another flu season will start. On the other hand, Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG said that it has successfully produced a first batch of swine flu vaccine weeks ahead of expectations.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Confirmed Cases of Influenza A (H1N1) – Up and Rising
Although the world-wide economy is still stagnant, confirmed cases of the influenza A (H1N1) virus have been rising quickly and spreading expeditiously around the world. Although the financial crisis proved highly contagious, the influenza A (H1N1) had proved even more deadly.
In the United States, in particular, New York City, the death toll for the Influenza A (H1N1) has climbed to 32. As medical professionals warned that although symptom of the H1N1 has showed rather mild effect in most cases, the virus could mutate into a more malicious form and create a more violent attack on human. Therefore, every country should remain alert and vigilant as suggested by the World Health Organization.
However, it seemed that some countries were not taking the most urgent measurements for the disease even though the World Health Organization has issued a pandemic warning of Phase 6 on June 11, 2009. Some irresponsible people still got on the plane and flied thousand miles across the world even thought they had already developed a fever. The worst was that they did not even wear a mask on the plane, spreading the virus to all passengers on board. Thanks to the host carrying the virus, all passengers on board were at risk and would spread the virus to different countries.
If people were not taking all necessary precautions, the H1N1 virus would be more than happy to travel around the world unless all borders were close. However, this would be an impossible protocol as the world had become much closer than 20 years ago because we all lived in a network and no country could act alone but rely on each other. One country down, the chain reaction would start and it was highly contagious.
It is suggested as recommended by the World Health Organization that people who have developed a fever with temperature should stay home and rest. They should not even travel to other country to spread germs. Country with rising confirmed cases should implement more serious quarantine procedures. Do not spread the virus to other countries. Please be reminded that we are dealing with a highly contagious disease.
In the United States, in particular, New York City, the death toll for the Influenza A (H1N1) has climbed to 32. As medical professionals warned that although symptom of the H1N1 has showed rather mild effect in most cases, the virus could mutate into a more malicious form and create a more violent attack on human. Therefore, every country should remain alert and vigilant as suggested by the World Health Organization.
However, it seemed that some countries were not taking the most urgent measurements for the disease even though the World Health Organization has issued a pandemic warning of Phase 6 on June 11, 2009. Some irresponsible people still got on the plane and flied thousand miles across the world even thought they had already developed a fever. The worst was that they did not even wear a mask on the plane, spreading the virus to all passengers on board. Thanks to the host carrying the virus, all passengers on board were at risk and would spread the virus to different countries.
If people were not taking all necessary precautions, the H1N1 virus would be more than happy to travel around the world unless all borders were close. However, this would be an impossible protocol as the world had become much closer than 20 years ago because we all lived in a network and no country could act alone but rely on each other. One country down, the chain reaction would start and it was highly contagious.
It is suggested as recommended by the World Health Organization that people who have developed a fever with temperature should stay home and rest. They should not even travel to other country to spread germs. Country with rising confirmed cases should implement more serious quarantine procedures. Do not spread the virus to other countries. Please be reminded that we are dealing with a highly contagious disease.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Phase 6 Now
On Thursday, June 11, 2009, The World Health Organization has issued a new warning, raising the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to 6, indicating that the situation has become very serious and a global pandemic is underway. It also indicated that the H1N1 virus has caused sustained community level outbreaks in two or more countries.
This was the second time which the World Health Organization issued the global flu epidemic almost 40 years ago since the Hong Kong flu in 1968, infecting an estimated 500,000 Hong Kong residents, killing an estimated one million people worldwide.
When it was no longer to contain the virus in one territory, further spread was inevitable. As of June 12, 2009, it was reported that nearly 30,000 influenza A (H1NI) cases have been confirmed in 74 countries with 145 deaths.
Currently, Australia is another country where the H1N1 virus has hit it real hard, totaling of 1,300 confirmed cases so far, including several top sports stars.
However, Dr. Margaret Chan, Director of the WHO urged people to remain calm and said that the raise of the alert to Phase 6 did not imply that we would see increase in number of deaths or very severe cases.
This was the second time which the World Health Organization issued the global flu epidemic almost 40 years ago since the Hong Kong flu in 1968, infecting an estimated 500,000 Hong Kong residents, killing an estimated one million people worldwide.
When it was no longer to contain the virus in one territory, further spread was inevitable. As of June 12, 2009, it was reported that nearly 30,000 influenza A (H1NI) cases have been confirmed in 74 countries with 145 deaths.
Currently, Australia is another country where the H1N1 virus has hit it real hard, totaling of 1,300 confirmed cases so far, including several top sports stars.
However, Dr. Margaret Chan, Director of the WHO urged people to remain calm and said that the raise of the alert to Phase 6 did not imply that we would see increase in number of deaths or very severe cases.
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