Dante Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 A unique strain of swine flu is the suspected killer of dozens of people in Mexico, where authorities closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in the capital on Friday to try to contain an outbreak that has spurred concerns of a global flu epidemic. The worrisome new virus — which combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before — also sickened at least eight people in Texas and California, though there have been no deaths in the U.S. "We are very, very concerned," World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human ... It's all hands on deck at the moment." The outbreak caused alarm in Mexico, where more than 1,000 people have been sickened. Residents of the capital donned surgical masks and authorities ordered the most sweeping shutdown of public gathering places in a quarter century. President Felipe Calderon met with his Cabinet Friday to coordinate Mexico's response. The WHO was convening an expert panel to consider whether to raise the pandemic alert level or issue travel advisories. There is no vaccine that specifically protects against swine flu, and it was unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer. A "seed stock" genetically matched to the new swine flu virus has been created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, said Dr. Richard Besser, the agency's acting director. If the government decides vaccine production is necessary, manufacturers would need that stock to get started. Authorities in Mexico urged people to avoid hospitals unless they had a medical emergency, since hospitals are centers of infection. They also said Mexicans should refrain from customary greetings such as shaking hands or kissing cheeks. At Mexico City's international airport, passengers were questioned to try to prevent anyone with flu symptoms from boarding airplanes and spreading the disease. Epidemiologists are particularly concerned because the only fatalities so far were in young people and adults. It's possible that more vulnerable populations — infants and the aged — had been vaccinated against other strains, providing some protection. The eight U.S. victims recovered from symptoms that were like those of the regular flu, mostly fever, cough and sore throat, though some also experienced vomiting and diarrhea. U.S. health officials announced an outbreak notice to travelers, urging caution and frequent handwashing, but stopping short of telling Americans to avoid Mexico. Mexico's Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordoba said 68 people have died of flu and the new swine flu strain had been confirmed in 20 of those deaths. At least 1,004 people nationwide were sick from the suspected flu, he said. Scientists have long been concerned that a new flu virus could launch a worldwide pandemic of a killer disease. A new virus could evolve when different flu viruses infect a pig, a person or a bird, mingling their genetic material. The resulting hybrid could spread quickly because people would have no natural defenses against it. Still, flu experts were concerned but not alarmed about the latest outbreak. "We've seen swine influenza in humans over the past several years, and in most cases, it's come from direct pig contact. This seems to be different," said Dr. Arnold Monto, a flu expert with the University of Michigan. "I think we need to be careful and not apprehensive, but certainly paying attention to new developments as they proceed." The CDC says two flu drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem effective against the new strain. Roche, the maker of Tamiflu, said the company is prepared to immediately deploy a stockpile of the drug if requested. Both drugs must be taken early, within a few days of the onset of symptoms, to be most effective. Cordoba said Mexico has enough Tamiflu to treat 1 million people, but the medicine will be strictly controlled and handed out only by doctors. Mexico's government had maintained until late Thursday that there was nothing unusual about the flu cases, although this year's flu season had been worse and longer than past years. The sudden turnaround by public health officials angered many Mexicans. "They could have stopped it in time," said Araceli Cruz, 24, a university student who emerged from the subway wearing a surgical mask. "Now they've let it spread to other people." The city was handing out free surgical masks to passengers on buses and the subway system, which carries 5 million people each day. Government workers were ordered to wear the masks, and authorities urged residents to stay home from work if they felt ill. Closing schools across Mexico's capital of 20 million kept 6.1 million students home, as well as thousands of university students. All state and city-run cultural activities were suspended, including libraries, state-run theaters, and at least 14 museums. Private athletic clubs closed down and soccer leagues were considering canceling weekend games. The closures were the first citywide shutdown of public gathering places since millions died in the devastating 1985 earthquake. Mexico's response brought to mind other major outbreaks, such as when SARS hit Asia. At its peak in 2003, Beijing shuttered schools, cinemas and restaurants, and thousands of people were quarantined at home. In March 2008, Hong Kong ordered more than a half-million students to stay home for two weeks because of a flu outbreak. It was the first such closure in Hong Kong since the outbreak of SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. "It's great they are taking precautions," said Lillian Molina, a teacher at the Montessori's World preschool in Mexico City, who scrubbed down empty classrooms with Clorox, soap and Lysol between fielding calls from worried parents. U.S. health officials said the outbreak is not yet a reason for alarm in the United States. The five people sickened in California and three in Texas have all recovered. It's unclear how the eight, who became ill between late March and mid-April, contracted the virus because none were in contact with pigs, which is how people usually catch swine flu. And only a few were in contact with each other. CDC officials described the virus as having a unique combination of gene segments not seen before in people or pigs. The bug contains human virus, avian virus from North America and pig viruses from North America, Europe and Asia. Scientists keep a close eye on flu viruses that emerge from pigs. The animals are considered particularly susceptible to both avian and human viruses and a likely place where the kind of genetic reassortment can take place that might lead to a new form of pandemic flu, said Dr. John Treanor, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The virus may be something completely new, or it may have been around for a while but was only detected now because of improved lab testing and disease surveillance, CDC officials said. The most notorious flu pandemic is thought to have killed at least 40 million people worldwide in 1918-19. Two other, less deadly flu pandemics struck in 1957 and 1968. news.yahoo.com How can a virus have genetic material of pigs, birds and humans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 news.yahoo.comHow can a virus have genetic material of pigs, birds and humans? Bio-engineering (but I doubt it) and/or evolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mundi Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Madagascar has closed down it´s ports. (flash game related :Þ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Madagascar has closed down it´s ports. (flash game related :Þ) That game is kinda creepy in it's way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supergrunch Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 How can a virus have genetic material of pigs, birds and humans? Viruses are well known for picking up sections of DNA from their host organisms - there are various ways in which this can occur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twozzok Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 From Here (click) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 This doesn't worry me. I already died from bird flu a couple of years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jordan Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I'm sure we'll all get hyped up by the media... and then nothing will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 This doesn't worry me. I already died from bird flu a couple of years ago. Was that before or after we all died of SARS? Remember when everyone was freaking out about the millennium bug? Planes falling out the sky and stuff. What a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 This doesn't worry me. I already died from bird flu a couple of years ago. Was that before or after we all died of SARS? Brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chairdriver Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 To be fair, people did die after contracting SARS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 (edited) To be fair, people did die after contracting SARS. Of course. But the way it was blown up by the media was ridiculous when everything boiled down. Both SARS and bird flu were almost made to sound like the eradication of half the human population. I know I became extremely nervous and paranoid about bird flu, and what good did that do me? Nothing. It's great that we, in the society of information that we live in, can spread knowledge of this kind all around the world fast as to quickly find a way to do something about it, but like always the media has to spin it to sell more papers. Edited April 25, 2009 by Dannyboy-the-Dane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 True, this seems to be less worrying than SARS though. Dante didn't bold the part saying health officials are concerned but not alarmed. Also the virus is responding to anti-viruses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chairdriver Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Of course. But the way it was blown up by the media was ridiculous when everything boiled down. Both SARS and bird flu were almost made to sound like the eradication of half the human population. I never really got that impression... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I never really got that impression... Then you were lucky enough to not see some of the media I saw. :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I never really got that impression... Not seen Scrubs when JD mentions SARS and they go into lock-down for 24 hours? Quaran-tinies, anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goron_3 Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 It's responding to anti viruses so we're fine for now. That said, it could easily mutate and could cause us a few problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 It's responding to anti viruses so we're fine for now. That said, it could easily mutate and could cause us a few problems. The common cold could easily mutate and wipe us all out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbob Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 The common cold could easily mutate and wipe us all out. There are many different variations of the common cold already, so it is near impossible to contract all forms and become immune to them. So in many ways, it has mutated already. Last years virus/cold was one of the worst i've ever caught and it came back twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 There are many different variations of the common cold already, so it is near impossible to contract all forms and become immune to them. So in many ways, it has mutated already. Last years virus/cold was one of the worst i've ever caught and it came back twice. Technically, it can't come back. Once you have caught a cold, your immune system has defeated it (*Final Fantasy Victory Theme*), you're immune to that particular cold, which means that you can't catch it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haden Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 The common cold could easily mutate and wipe us all out. Who would it have to make feel crappy then though? Until it gets bored of spoiling weekends we are all safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mundi Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I never really got that impression... Oh the media said all kinds off bullshit. For example, over here in the same news report that they said that two dead swans had been found and they were checking it for the bird flu they said that if the bird flu mutates and contracts humans one in every three person are at risk of dying from it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goron_3 Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 The common cold could easily mutate and wipe us all out. It's already mutated tonnes of times. Infact it mutates relatively easily. Fortunately it's pretty easy to get rid of once you have it. A virus that is capable of killing people is a different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 There are many different variations of the common cold already. It's weird that it's called common when there are so many different kinds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris the great Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 i remeber learning about how some bactiria can take in genetic material, though i never heard of a virus that can do it. that said, im not a virologist, im not will smith in i am legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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