Three deaths related to swine flu in Costa Rica and Canada kills 500 hogs with swine flu.

Man Tequila says on May 10, 2009, 18:06:

Not sure what this has to do with Colombia, but let me say this.

This flu has people scared because of media hype. It is a novel flu -- a combination of bird flu, swine flu and human flu -- so there were worries that it would be tough to fight off. A number of people are reported to have died from this flu, mainly in Mexico City. Maybe there will be another big pandemic, but this sure as heck isn't it.

Like many countries, Canada has been testing a lot of people who were generally well but had a positive travel history. They use a screening nose swab which can be tested fairly quickly. If the flu comes back as "untypable", it is assumed to be the swine flu. More detailled RNA tests are done, and most of the swabs originally assumed to be H1N1 swine flu are in fact something else. In many countries, screenng is less sophisticated.

With epidemics, the rise in cases is exponential by the day. With virulent epidemics, people die. In Canada, one person has been hospitalized, and almost all of the cases do not require medical treatment (apart from quarantine at home). Why folks in the Mexico cluster (but not San Luis Potosi) died is a mystery, and could easily be related to the pisspoor air quality of Mexico City and its capacity to cause underlying respiratory disease. Complicating illnesses are a big deal with flu. Regular flu strains kill far more people than the swine flu has, so far. I think people are very much over-reacting, in part because this is safer than under-reacting, particularly for politicians and health officials who do not want to be seen dropping the ball.

As for the Canadian pigs, with all the paranoia, it would have been politic to kill them a lot sooner than they did. Eating pork is still safe, but the markets have collapsed.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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Catfish35 says on May 10, 2009, 19:34:

PUH LEEEZZEEE people get over this swine flu shit..
I have never wished a natural disaster more in my life to get this swine sniffle off the media headlines.....

Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

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Man Tequila says on May 10, 2009, 19:51:

I see one person has died in Canada, one in the US. These are not pandemic numbers.

I suspect this transmutation of human and animal flus has happened before. The fact we identify it now does not make it new or make our bodies incapable of fighing it off, indeed it seems to respond to common influenza drugs.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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Monpirri says on Sep 25, 2009, 08:13:

Last night I was watching the local news and heard that a councilwoman is under medical care because of AH1N1 symptons.

Deaths related to AH1N1 increases here in Bogota.

Alarmante incremento en casos de gripe AH1N1
http://www.canalrcn.com/noticias/index.php/nacional/alarmante-incremen...

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

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immigrateddotorg says on Oct 18, 2009, 22:21:

I think this pandemic is spreading worldwide and if not controlled maybe as powerful as the black plague from the middle ages. If you need to see how swine flu is spreading worldwide check this site: http://swineflucases.net/

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Monpirri says on Nov 6, 2009, 18:14:

I agree 100% with you!

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

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babygirl says on Nov 6, 2009, 18:42:

People are going nuts here (Toronto area) over the vaccines. It's crazy. I was at a walk in clinic earlier this week as I had flu-ish / cold symptoms. Normally I just ride it out, I'm not one to run to the Dr's for every little thing but I was a bit nervous after reading about the teen that had died a couple days earlier. I waited for over 2 hrs to see a Dr. The clinic was packed. Everybody was there to get checked for H1N1. (despite what we all hear about Canada and health care I've never had to wait that long at a clinic, maybe it's my area.)

Best quote of the week... "should I be taking this pill with wine?" Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

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