September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

The H1N1 virus has finally made its dramatic reappearance in the fall months of the year. Although the hype surrounding the initial revelation of the “swine flu” pandemic has pretty well died down, the Pontotoc County Health Department assures that it is a very real probability that you or someone you know could contract the virus.

To minimize the chances of contracting H1N1 or seasonal flu, however, there are some things they say you can do.

1. Minimize your personal contact with people if you or they have flu-like symptoms. These symptoms could include sneezing, coughing, fever and—in the case of the H1N1 virus—vomiting and diarrhea.

2. If you have the flu, stay home from work or school. If your kids have the flu, keep them home from school. While a lot of people in today’s work environment prefer to just work through sickness, a contagious illness like the flu can quickly spread throughout a company or a school. Determine if you can do your work from home and decrease the amount of people you come into contact with.

3. Wash your hands frequently. In the event that you are unable to wash frequently, use an alcohol-based sanitizing gel.

4. Exercise proper sneezing and coughing etiquette. Sneeze and cough into a tissue, your shoulder or the bend of your arm to decrease the spread of germs.

The H1N1 vaccine is being prepared to be released in Oct or Nov, but until that time, prevention is necessary. Try to be proactive in efforts to stay away from the H1N1 virus and the seasonal flu.

As Count Rugen so aptly said to Prince Humperdinck, while they were plotting the murder of Humperdinck’s future wife, “Get some rest. If you haven’t got your health, then you haven’t got anything.”

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

Just in time for flu season, swine flu vaccines will be distributed and administered. If you think havingHepatitis C is cause for receiving this vaccination, become familiar with who is at highest risk from swine flu complications – and why you may want to think twice about this injection.

Officially known as H1N1, just about everyone is aware of swine flu since its first outbreak in March of 2009. In response to the worldwide panic that H1N1 could evolve into a deadly plague, pharmaceutical companies have been racing to develop a vaccination before flu season is in full swing. As of September 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved four vaccines against H1N1. While vaccine distribution is expected to begin by mid-October, many (including those with Hepatitis C) are unsure if they should sign up to get vaccinated.

As an influenza virus, the H1N1 strain appears to cause a comparatively mild illness. Despite having a relatively mild course, H1N1 has claimed a moderate number of lives. While the elderly are typically at a higher risk from the typical seasonal flu, swine flu has caused more flu-related complications and deaths in young people than expected.

The likelihood of there being enough vaccine doses available for everyone who desires it is slim. The Centers for Disease Control has urged hospitals and other H1N1 vaccine providers to prioritize who gets the vaccine. At Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, providers are preparing a protocol to decide who is approved for H1N1 vaccination:

· At the top of the list are those who have daily contact with patients: doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.

· Next are people considered high risk. According to Jacie Russell, infection preventionist at the hospital, “That includes patients who have cancer or people with chronic organ disease, such as liver disease orheart disease, or people who take care of children.”

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September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

New Delhi, Sept 30 (PTI) A total of 197 fresh cases of swine flu were reported from across the country today while two more persons succumbed to the disease.

Delhi reported 59 cases, Maharashtra 46, Tamil Nadu 25 and Kerala and Karnataka 13 each.

With today’a cases, the total number of people afflicted with the disease rose to 10,233.

One death each was reported from Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.

In Delhi, the toll touched 11 with the death of a 22-year-old man at the Safdarjung Hospital here even as 59 more people tested positive to the viral infection raising the number of such cases to 2,739.

“One 22-year-old male died on September 29 at the Safdarjung Hospital. His test reports were positive for swine flu virus. He had contracted pneumonia and suffered from respiratory distress.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

If Trends Research Institute Director Gerald Celente is right another volley may have been fired in what he is calling the “Second American Revolution.” 

In August while most everyone’s attention was still focused on the Tea Parties, Celente was already in fast-forward trend identification mode. 

Here’s part of an e-mail trend alert he sent to clients, “While there are many wild cards that could light the fuse, The Trends Research Institute forecasts that if the threat of government-forced Swine Flu vaccinations is realized, it will be the fourth shot (of the second American Revolution). Tens of millions will fight for their right to remain free and unvaccinated.”

News reports about this issue have slowly registering it. The Wall Street Journal cited it Saturday. Headlines in Wednesday’s papers stepped up the tempo as they heralded the protests of New York state health care workerswho have been told to take the swine flu shot or lose their jobs. 

But the issue is already beyond the New York state lines.

According to a UPI report , Hospital Corp. of America, with clinics and hospitals in 20 states including Tennessee and Virginia, is requiring its 120,000 employees to be vaccinated. 

It’s likely as reporters begin checking with their local health care providers they will find the same thing at other institutions. If so, hundreds of thousands of nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers could be ordered to become vaccinated as the second wave of the H1N1 pandemic spreads this fall. And the mandate trend from health care providers to their workers is fueling concerns and rumors that the H1N1 vaccine may become mandatory for everyone.

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September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

WORCESTER — More than 20,000 Massachusetts children and adults have been infected with swine flu since the virus first appeared five months ago, state health authorities said this morning, providing the most detailed portrait so far of the epidemic’s impact.

The H1N1 virus that causes the disease did most of its damage in the state in late spring and early summer, research from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health shows. The deaths of 11 people in Massachusetts have been blamed on swine flu.

In other parts of the nation, particularly the South, the virus has returned with a vengeance in recent weeks. Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach said the virus’ rampant spread elsewhere foreshadows what is likely to happen in New England.

“We expect to see in the coming weeks and months that we will see widespread cases of H1N1,” Auerbach told about 800 health, public safety, and education officials who have convened for a statewide swine flu summit at Worcester’s DCU Center.

Auerbach also said his agency expects the first doses of swine flu vaccine to arrive in the state within 10 to 14 days, and they will be distributed to people at highest risk from the virus.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

Military required to take shots

NEW YORK (NBC) – Her mom says Chloe Lindsey was a healthy 14-year-old.

She went home from school sick Wednesday, was diagnosed with swine flu Friday and was hospitalized by Sunday.

“She was just gasping for air and I asked her, ‘Baby, why are you breathing like that?’ and she said, ‘Momma, it hurts,’” said Tammy Osborne, Chloe’s mother.

Her mom says it didn’t seem possible.

“The flu killed my baby,” said Osborne.

The first doses of the H1N1 vaccine become available next week.

The military is requiring the shots, and health care workers in New York are required too, though some resist it.

Only four in ten parents plan to vaccinate their children, according to one survey.

Parent Marti Griffin says she’s not sure it will help.

“I’m just not willing to do it. I’m hoping that the problem doesn’t become a massive outbreak and if it does I may regret this decision,” said Griffin.

Health officials reassured Congress the vaccine is safe.

“We have safety data from decades of experience with seasonal vaccines which are made in the same manner,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases.

Will the doses arrive in time? The whole school district in Huntsville, Texas shut down because too many kids were sent home sick.

“Coughing, headache, just they’re really tired, their body ached,” said parent Brenda Schultz.

Two hospitals in charlotte, North Carolina have barred children from visiting patients…too risky they say.

Other hospitals have set up special tents to handle flu overload in a flu season that officially starts Sunday.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

Sumter, SC – An autopsy has determined an South Carolina fifth-grader died from pneumonia brought on by swine flu.

Multiple media outlets reported that Sumter County Coroner Harvin Bullock said the cause of 11-year-old Ashlie Pipkin’s death will be officially listed as swine flu.

Pipkin was a student at Laurence Manning Academy in Manning. The school closed for three days last week after nearly 300 of its 1,000 students called in sick last week, citing flu symptoms.

Three children have now died from swine flu in South Carolina this year.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

At least two people succumbed to influenza A (H1N1) in Delhi Wednesday, taking the death toll in the capital to 13, health authorities said.

While one person died in a private hospital, a 22-year-old man died at the Safdarjung hospital. Though the details of the first person were unavailable, the second patient was suffering from pneumonia and respiratory distress and was under ventilation.

Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said the ’situation is under control’ and there is ‘no need to panic’. She advised people to consult a doctor at the earliest if they have any symptom of swine flu.

The capital also reported 58 new cases of swine flu including those of 29 children.

Walia said that till date 2,739 cases have been detected with the contagious virus. ‘More than 90 percent patients have been successfully treated and discharged.’

Delhi stands second only to Maharashtra (2,827 people) in the number of swine flu cases. Across the country, over 10,230 people have contracted the disease and at least 315 have died.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, September 30, 2009 – Barbados has recorded its first swine flu death, but few details about the victims have been released. The Ministry of Health would only say the person was an adult with underlying medical conditions.

In offering her “condolences to the deceased’s family”, Chief Medical Officer Dr Joy St John said she “deeply regretted the passing of the person”.

She urged the public to take the necessary precautionary measures and follow the guidelines put out by the Ministry of Health, so as to minimise the risk of contracting the H1N1 virus.

“We must continue to practice good hygiene if we are going to overcome this H1N1 outbreak. This death also shows that those predisposed groups must be extremely careful,” Dr St John said.

Barbados has so far recorded 96 confirmed cases of H1N1 infection.

However, the Chief Medical Officer was quick to point out that there could be more infected with the virus.

“This figure does not accurately reflect the current incidence of the disease here, since we have not been swabbing everybody who has exhibited flu-like symptoms in wake of the fact that there is in-country transmission,” she explained.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

BALTIMORE (AP) ? Baltimore public school officials say a female middle school student who was diagnosed with swine flu has died.

Schools CEO Andres Alonso said officials learned of the Montebello Elementary-Middle School student’s death on Wednesday.

The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported the state’s ninth death related to swine flu Wednesday, saying the Baltimore-area youth had no apparent underlying medical conditions pending further investigation. Further details about the case were not released for privacy reasons.

Health officials say this is the second death of a child under 18 linked to the virus. Since June, state health officials have reported 198 hospitalizations due to illness related to swine flu.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

9/30/2009 – China nearly doubled its order of the Sinovac Biotech (NYSE:SVA) Panflu.1 vaccine, the company said Wednesday. The government increased its September 4 order from 3.3 million doses to 6.3 million, according to a release. Shares of Sinovac rose 6% during Early Wednesday trading.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

A middle school girl who was hospitalized with the swine flu last week died yesterday, according to astatement by Andres Alonso. The CEO said staff would be providing families and students in the school support in the coming days. The school system is working with the health department to inform families about what can be done to reduce the risk of getting the virus.  The girl is the second child to die of swine flu in Maryland. The first child had an underlying medical condition. The health department has not released a statement yet.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

NEW DELHI: A total of 197 fresh cases of swine flu were reported from across the country today while two more persons succumbed to the disease.

Delhi reported 59 cases, Maharashtra 46, Tamil Nadu 25 and Kerala and Karnataka 13 each.

With today’a cases, the total number of people afflicted with the disease rose to 10,233.

One death each was reported from Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.

In Delhi, the toll touched 11 with the death of a 22-year-old man at the Safdarjung Hospital here even as 59 more people tested positive to the viral infection raising the number of such cases to 2,739.

“One 22-year-old male died on September 29 at the Safdarjung Hospital. His test reports were positive for swine flu virus. He had contracted pneumonia and suffered from respiratory distress. When brought to the hospital he was put on ventilator,” Dr Anjan Prakash, nodal officer for swine flu management in the city said.

Delhi health minister Kiran Walia said, “Of the 58 cases reported today, 29 are of children alone. Till date 2,739 cases have been reported to be positive for swine flu virus in the city of which 1,433 were of children. More than 90% patients have been successfully treated and discharged.”

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

RICHMOND, Va. - The Virginia Department of Health says a resident of the Charlottesville region has died after contracting the H1N1 virus.

The agency said Wednesday that the cause of the man’s death hasn’t been confirmed, but the flu virus appears to have been a factor.

The patient had an underlying health condition that put him at greater risk of complications from the novel influenza A, which some have dubbed “swine flu.” No other details were released.

September 30th, 2009 by MWilhelm

The common cold and flu — both the seasonal and the new swine flu — are caused by different viruses but can have some similar symptoms, making them tough to tell apart. In general, the flu is worse and symptoms are more intense.

COLDS: Usual symptoms include stuffy or runny nose, sore throat and sneezing. Coughs are hacking and productive. It’s unusual to have fever, chills, headaches and body aches, or if present, those symptoms will be mild.

FLU: Fever is usually present, along with chills, headache and moderate-to-severe body aches and tiredness. Symptoms can come on rapidly, within three to six hours. Coughs are dry and unproductive, and sore throats are less common.

Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Roche, maker of Tamiflu.