Although the World Health Organization is not recommending travel restrictions, it is not safe to travel on the plane these days. If someone on the plane has already contracted the influenza A (H1N1) virus, the rest of the passengers have exposed to the risk of contracting the virus as well. The worst is that all of them may require to be in quarantine for several days.
Hundred of medical professionals and specialists from 40 countries met in Cancun, Mexico where the virus was first found. The gesture was to show that Mexico was a safe place to travel. Dr. Margaret Chan indicated that recommendations to avoid travel to Mexico, or to any other country or area with confirmed cases, serve no purpose. It was easy for her to provide a statement but to stay out of the virus, it would best be not traveling to country like the United States where many confimed cases were identified. Perhaps, it would best be not getting on the plane unless there is an urgent business. Maybe this would help stop the spreading of the virus.
Specialist warned the world that the virus could mutate into a more malicious form and come back in a few months for a more violent attack At that time, the death toll could rise and became the outbreak like the flu pandemic in 1918 that killed tens of millions people. “Watching how quickly H1N1 spread globally was quite disconcerting” said Canada’ Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. “It is so important for countries to have a plan in place to be able to respond”.
Showing posts with label Mexico Swine Flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexico Swine Flu. Show all posts
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Influenza A (H1N1) Vaccine
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.
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.
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.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
No Time to Relax Now
According to the World Health Organization, the infected cases of the H1N1 virus in the United States have way passed Mexico. As of May 13, 2009, Mexico has reported 2059 laboratory confirmed cases of infections including 56 deaths while the United States has reported 3009 cases alone including 3 deaths. Meanwhile, Canada reported 358 cases including 1 death. These three countries seemed to have the highest number of cases so far. Not only was that. The infected cases were now traveling across the Pacific Ocean and exported to Asia. Officials of the Asian countries were in high alert and remained vigilance.
Given that the frequent traffic between Asia and the United States, it would be very difficult to avoid the spreading of the virus to the Asian countries, especially when the United States seemed to be ill-equipped for the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic and showed no sign whatsoever to deter the virus from spreading to other countries. For example, there were already several confirmed cases in Tokyo, China and Hong Kong in this week only and all of them were infected in the United States. Perhaps, port authorities and the CDC in the Unites States should take up stricter measurement so that the H1N1 virus could be over sooner.
Given that the frequent traffic between Asia and the United States, it would be very difficult to avoid the spreading of the virus to the Asian countries, especially when the United States seemed to be ill-equipped for the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic and showed no sign whatsoever to deter the virus from spreading to other countries. For example, there were already several confirmed cases in Tokyo, China and Hong Kong in this week only and all of them were infected in the United States. Perhaps, port authorities and the CDC in the Unites States should take up stricter measurement so that the H1N1 virus could be over sooner.
Monday, May 11, 2009
A Long Battle Ahead of Us
You must have asked “when are all these going to end?” Number of confirmed cases for the influenza A (H1N1) virus seemed to reach new high every week and confirmed cases began to appear in countries where they never had the H1N1 virus before.
The H1N1 had traveled across from Ontario to Japan as three people who returned to Japan from a High School visit in Canada were tested positive for the H1N1 virus, making Japan to report the H1N1 for the first time. As the confirmed cases seemed to be unusually high in this flight, 49 other passengers who took the same flight from Detroit to Tokyo were also needed to be quarantined.
Meanwhile, China reported its first confirmed case of the influenza A (H1N1) virus. A 30-year old man who returned from St. Louis, Missouri, the United States to Beijing via Tokyo developed a fever after he had landed in Beijing and made a local fight connection to Chengdu. He felt ill on the local fight and went straight to the hospital for treatment and he was later confirmed as a mild case of H1N1. Officials tracked down other passengers on the same fight for quarantine.
The H1N1 had traveled across from Ontario to Japan as three people who returned to Japan from a High School visit in Canada were tested positive for the H1N1 virus, making Japan to report the H1N1 for the first time. As the confirmed cases seemed to be unusually high in this flight, 49 other passengers who took the same flight from Detroit to Tokyo were also needed to be quarantined.
Meanwhile, China reported its first confirmed case of the influenza A (H1N1) virus. A 30-year old man who returned from St. Louis, Missouri, the United States to Beijing via Tokyo developed a fever after he had landed in Beijing and made a local fight connection to Chengdu. He felt ill on the local fight and went straight to the hospital for treatment and he was later confirmed as a mild case of H1N1. Officials tracked down other passengers on the same fight for quarantine.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
One Virus, Too Many
A 25-year old Mexican was tested positive for the Influenza A (H1N1) virus after he arrived in Hong Kong via Shanghai. The Metropark Hotel, where he stayed was closed immediately after he was confirmed with the infection. As a result, everybody including 200 guests and 100 staff had to put into segregation for 7-day quarantine for fear that there might be a chance of spreading the virus further.
As the city was hard hit by the SARS virus in 2003, officials from the Government acted quickly to respond to this Mexican situation which was exactly the same in 2003 and was still haunted in their minds. In 2003, a doctor infected with the SARS virus came to Hong Kong from Guangzhou. During his only one-night stay in the hotel, he spread a massive dosage of the SARS virus and infected at least 10 different people from various countries. The chain reaction caused a series of outbreak in Canada and Europe.
This time the officials took no chance and traced down everybody including the nearby passengers who sat close to the Mexican in the plane for 7-day quarantine. Even the two cab drivers who took the Mexican to the hospital and from the airport to the hotel was not excluded.
Only one sick person and over 400 people had to be put into isolation. Though the virus is so small and one cannot even see it with the naked eyes, the effect is more like a giant monster.
Please take care of yourself from getting the H1N1 virus.
As the city was hard hit by the SARS virus in 2003, officials from the Government acted quickly to respond to this Mexican situation which was exactly the same in 2003 and was still haunted in their minds. In 2003, a doctor infected with the SARS virus came to Hong Kong from Guangzhou. During his only one-night stay in the hotel, he spread a massive dosage of the SARS virus and infected at least 10 different people from various countries. The chain reaction caused a series of outbreak in Canada and Europe.
This time the officials took no chance and traced down everybody including the nearby passengers who sat close to the Mexican in the plane for 7-day quarantine. Even the two cab drivers who took the Mexican to the hospital and from the airport to the hotel was not excluded.
Only one sick person and over 400 people had to be put into isolation. Though the virus is so small and one cannot even see it with the naked eyes, the effect is more like a giant monster.
Please take care of yourself from getting the H1N1 virus.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Influenza A (H1N1) – A New Name for Swine Flu
People were afraid to eat pork because of the widespread of Swine Flu viruses which was originated in Mexico and kept on spreading like wild fire across the Unites States to Europe and now, landing in Asia.
It seemed that the viruses showed no sign of slowing down and the infected cases has reached a new high. People in the world including the World Health Organization called it the ‘Swine Flu” Viruses, deeply agitating the farmers in the United States whose pork was banned by many countries such as China, Dubai and Russia and others even though Government officials repeatedly reassured that swine flu viruses could not be transmitted to human body just by eating pork, providing that the pork was well-cooked. However, more and more people joined the ‘no pork” line. To regain the confidence of the public of eating pork, the swine flu virus was changed to influenza A (H1N1) by the World Health Organization.
As of May 3 2009, the type A has caused 19 deaths and 506 were confirmed human cases of infections in Mexico. As for the United States, 226 were laboratory confirmed human cases of infections, including 1 death.
As for the rest of the world, no death was reported yet and infected cases were Austria (1), Canada(85), Hong Kong(1), Costa Rica(1), Denmark(1), France(2), Germany(8), Ireland(1), Israel(3), Italy(1), Netherlands(1), New Zealand(4), Republic of Korea(1), Spain(40), Switzerland(1) and the United Kingdom(15).
It seemed that the viruses showed no sign of slowing down and the infected cases has reached a new high. People in the world including the World Health Organization called it the ‘Swine Flu” Viruses, deeply agitating the farmers in the United States whose pork was banned by many countries such as China, Dubai and Russia and others even though Government officials repeatedly reassured that swine flu viruses could not be transmitted to human body just by eating pork, providing that the pork was well-cooked. However, more and more people joined the ‘no pork” line. To regain the confidence of the public of eating pork, the swine flu virus was changed to influenza A (H1N1) by the World Health Organization.
As of May 3 2009, the type A has caused 19 deaths and 506 were confirmed human cases of infections in Mexico. As for the United States, 226 were laboratory confirmed human cases of infections, including 1 death.
As for the rest of the world, no death was reported yet and infected cases were Austria (1), Canada(85), Hong Kong(1), Costa Rica(1), Denmark(1), France(2), Germany(8), Ireland(1), Israel(3), Italy(1), Netherlands(1), New Zealand(4), Republic of Korea(1), Spain(40), Switzerland(1) and the United Kingdom(15).
Friday, May 1, 2009
Medicines for the Swine Influenza (H1N1)
Unfortunately, there are no vaccines which can contain the swine flu virus that killed many in Mexico and sickened at least 2,000 people in the rest of the world. As the swine flu viruses can change quickly and can go through a form of mutation rapidly, medical professionals are working in light speed to develop a vaccine that can stop the circulation of the virus strain.
As for the medicines which can provide treatment of the swine influenza (H1N1), sources from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that the swine flu viruses in the United States are sensitive to inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (oseltamivir and zanamivir). Oseltamivir is actually the brand entitled “Tamiflu” and Zanamivir is “Relenza”.
As for the medicines which can provide treatment of the swine influenza (H1N1), sources from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that the swine flu viruses in the United States are sensitive to inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (oseltamivir and zanamivir). Oseltamivir is actually the brand entitled “Tamiflu” and Zanamivir is “Relenza”.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Meaning of the Pandemic Alert Issued by the World Health Organization (WHO)
You have probably heard a lot about the term “phase” of the pandemic alert issued by the World Health Organization lately. But, do you know the actual meaning of it and the definition associated with each phase? Perhaps you may have asked questions such as
l The actual number of phases in the pandemic influenza warning
l The meaning of each phase in the pandemic influenza warning
As defined by the World Health Organization, there are 6 phases following by “Post Peak” and “Post Pandemic” respectively.
Generally speaking, phases 1 to 3 indicate that the pandemic is predominantly animal infections and there are few human infections.
Up one level is Phase 4 indicating that the situation has become worsen, sustaining that the virus can transmit from human to human causing community level outbreaks.
Phases 5 to 6 indicate that there will be widespread of the virus with multiple human infections. Phase 6 indicates that the situation is very serious and a world-wide pandemic is under way. On the other hand, a strong signal of a pandemic is imminent when the warning of phase 5 is issued.
Post-peak period means that although there appears to be a decrease of pandemic activities, there is a possibility of recurrent events and a second wave may be coming.
In Post-pandemic period, the influenza disease becomes seasonal and the virus will return at a specific season. Surveillance of the virus is of utmost important.
l The actual number of phases in the pandemic influenza warning
l The meaning of each phase in the pandemic influenza warning
As defined by the World Health Organization, there are 6 phases following by “Post Peak” and “Post Pandemic” respectively.
Generally speaking, phases 1 to 3 indicate that the pandemic is predominantly animal infections and there are few human infections.
Up one level is Phase 4 indicating that the situation has become worsen, sustaining that the virus can transmit from human to human causing community level outbreaks.
Phases 5 to 6 indicate that there will be widespread of the virus with multiple human infections. Phase 6 indicates that the situation is very serious and a world-wide pandemic is under way. On the other hand, a strong signal of a pandemic is imminent when the warning of phase 5 is issued.
Post-peak period means that although there appears to be a decrease of pandemic activities, there is a possibility of recurrent events and a second wave may be coming.
In Post-pandemic period, the influenza disease becomes seasonal and the virus will return at a specific season. Surveillance of the virus is of utmost important.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Escalation of the Swine Influenza Pandemic
The continuation of the spreading of the swine flu in the United States following by the first case of death of a 2-year old boy who had recently visited Mexico prompting President Barack Obama to call the outbreak of swine flu a “serious situation” which required the “utmost precautions”.
In view of the development, an urgent meeting was held again by the World Health Organization in Geneva to discuss the seriousness of the current situation. After evaluating the data and latest development around the world, Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO’s Director-General has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5, indicating that every country in the world should remain high alert and detect any unusual cases of influenza-like illness and pneumonia immediately as the H1N1 virus could have the capacity to spread through each country quickly in addition to possessing the ability to mutate rapidly.
As of April 30, 2009, the effect of swine flu has been mild in the United States while comparing with the situation in Mexico, where swine flu had killed more than 150 people and sickening over 2,000. There were 91 cases of laboratory confirmed cases, 1 in Arizona, 14 in California, 1 in Indiana, 2 in Kansas, 2 in Massachusetts, 2 in Michigan, 1 in Nevada, 51 in New York, 1 in Ohio and 16 in Texas including 1 death. As the swine flu virus is relatively new and many people do not have immunity to the virus, medical professionals expect that the H1N1 virus will continue to spread with more cases of deaths in the coming weeks.
In view of the development, an urgent meeting was held again by the World Health Organization in Geneva to discuss the seriousness of the current situation. After evaluating the data and latest development around the world, Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO’s Director-General has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5, indicating that every country in the world should remain high alert and detect any unusual cases of influenza-like illness and pneumonia immediately as the H1N1 virus could have the capacity to spread through each country quickly in addition to possessing the ability to mutate rapidly.
As of April 30, 2009, the effect of swine flu has been mild in the United States while comparing with the situation in Mexico, where swine flu had killed more than 150 people and sickening over 2,000. There were 91 cases of laboratory confirmed cases, 1 in Arizona, 14 in California, 1 in Indiana, 2 in Kansas, 2 in Massachusetts, 2 in Michigan, 1 in Nevada, 51 in New York, 1 in Ohio and 16 in Texas including 1 death. As the swine flu virus is relatively new and many people do not have immunity to the virus, medical professionals expect that the H1N1 virus will continue to spread with more cases of deaths in the coming weeks.
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