Experts Debate Pandemic Potential of Swine Flu

[seemslikeadream]

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=7423159&page=1

Experts Debate Pandemic Potential of Swine Flu
Eighth U.S. Case Confirmed; Top CDC Official Said Concern Has Grown
By DAN CHILDS and AUDREY GRAYSON
ABC News Medical Unit
April 24, 2009

SHARE A top federal health official said the government's concern over the swine flu outbreaks in the United States and Mexico has grown since Thursday -- and a handful of influenza experts worry the deadly, never-before-seen hybrid strain may spur a pandemic.


Seven people in California and Texas have been diagnosed with a unique form of swine flu, U.S. health officials said Thursday. All seven people have recovered, Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during an afternoon teleconference. "So far this is not looking like a very severe influenza," she said.
Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that health officials confirmed yet another U.S. case of swine flu in California today, bringing the total number of Americans infected with the disease to eight.

Though it is still too early to say for certain whether a swine flu pandemic is possible or likely, the cases, all of which have occurred in California and Texas, have aroused concerns among the public, Besser acknowledged.

[Ian David]

1. Let's buy Republicans free trips to Central Mexico! n/t

[Name removed]

2. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Avalux]

3. It's useful to point out a pandemic doesn't necessarily mean high mortality.

Those infected in CA and TX have recovered. We don't want anyone to panic; seems to me your 'alarm' is a bit misplaced.

[seemslikeadream]

4. My alarm please link to that alarm

because I am postiing news stories, give me a break


one person ignore is another person agony

[Warpy]

5. It won't hit as hard in the US

because even people of limited means can go in for a course of antibiotics if they start having trouble breathing while coughing up green/yellow stuff that indicates a secondary infection has taken hold. That isn't the case in the third world, where much of the death toll from any pandemic will occur.

[Avalux]

6. Correct -

although even the cases in Mexico don't seem especially virulent thus far. Over 800 reported cases (of which many may be human influenza A - they're still sorting it out); 67 deaths.

[Mojorabbit]

9. If the numbers are accurate

in Mexico the case fatality rate is around 7 percent which is high but I doubt the numbers are accurate. Probably a lot of mild cases not counted.

[backscatter712]

7. I don't think this one is quite up there with Captain Trips.

I haven't had any dreams about elderly black women from Nebraska or dark walkin' dudes yet.

[Mike 03]

8. Let's make sure this is the swine flu, first.

It's important to verify what this is before we even begin to guess whether or not it has the capacity to create the sort of pandemic nightmare some people are fearing.

[Mojorabbit]

10. There was a match

in cases in Mexico and the US. WHO announced it today