Category: Plagues and Pandemics

CDC Eyes 600 Million Doses of Swine Flu Shots “Health officials said that a swine flu vaccination campaign could be only a few months away, and that as many as 60 million doses could be ready by September.” [JWR Adds: With the current rapid rate of mutation, one can only wonder about the efficacy of this “rush job” vaccine.] Oregon’s Second Swine Flu Death “The child was younger than 5 year old [and] had ‘no known underlying medical conditions and a two-day history of fever,’ and was not hospitalized, officials said.” Drug-Resistant Swine Flu Seen in Danish Patient The BBC …

Sir, The June 25, 2009 InfraGard meeting was on the pending pandemic. The speakers were Robin K. Koons, Ph.D., epidemiologist for the Colorado Emergency Preparedness and the Director of FEMA for the State of Colorado. This InfraGard meeting was non-restricted, so these notes may be shared: [begin transcript] It is anticipated that 30% of the working population, 42 million people, will become ill. 70% of the working population, 150 million people, will not get ill, and will have to run the country. In 1918 out of the 30% that became ill, 2% died. Infrastructure may not meet human needs. Supply …

Swine Flu Multi-Shot Vaccine May Overwhelm States “Two injections will be required three weeks apart for swine flu, also known as H1N1, and a third will be needed for seasonal flu, health officials said at a meeting today at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta. Children younger than 9 years old will need four shots, the CDC said. … People older than age 50 are getting swine flu at far lower rates than younger people, evidence they may have some immunity from prior exposures to a similar virus, and will only need one shot, the CDC …

New H1N1 flu not going away: U.S. health agency (Thanks to KAF for the link.) Mike McD sent this: Western Australia woman fifth to die of swine flu A news item sent by Karen H.: Britain suffers 2nd H1N1 flu death Thanks to Richard S. for sending this: Canada to Vaccinate Entire Population

US Swine Flu Cases May Have Hit One Million Cambodia Reports First Case of New Flu New Swine Flu Cases In Borneo Hawaii: Huge Spike In Swine Flu Cases Pacific Isles Now Report First Flu Cases Flu Hits More Countries in Africa

NYC: Fear of Swine Flu Mutating As City’s Death Toll Rises to 32 H1N1 / 6,000 Deaths / The Pandemic is Here Officials confirm North Carolina’s first swine flu death (Thanks to M.W. for the link.)

Two More NYC Swine Flu Deaths Germany Warns of Swine Flu Mutation Pandemic May Be as Severe as 1968 Hong Kong Flu

Next Question in Swine Flu: Who Gets Vaccinated? Swine Flu Epidemic Escalating in Middle East Fatal Swine Flu Cluster In Buffalo, NY “The above comments describe two students of magnet schools in Buffalo, NY that are a mile apart. Both students were on life support yesterday, and the middle school student (15) died after life support was withdrawn. The elementary school student (9F) remains on life support. The clustering of two critically ill students raises concerns about the emergence of a more lethal strain of Pandemic H1N1. … The 2009 Pandemic is tracking with the 1918 Pandemic, which produce mild …

E627K Acquisition In Swine H1N1 Raises Pandemic Concerns “The acquisition of E627K creates concern that the virus will evolve into a more lethal agent that will be associated with an increased case fatality rate in previously healthy young adults, as was seen in the 1918 Pandemic.” The first death from swine flu in Australia Old People May Be Immune to Swine Flu

Chem-Bio Daily (hosted by Anser.org) reports: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other experts have rejected a report that a new strain of the novel H1N1 influenza virus has been identified in a Brazilian patient.” (Thanks to NH for the tip.) Clouded, Suspicious Baxter to Make Swine Flu Vaccine Virus Mix-Up By Lab Could Have Resulted in Pandemic Swine Flu Cases Spring Up in Middle East Bird Flu Virus Can Survive For Two Years in Birds’ Carcasses [JWR Adds an Important Safety Tip: Do not eat two-year old bird carcasses!] Kids May Get Swine Flu Shots First

Three-Month-Old Dies of Swine Flu in Argentina Swine Flu Vax Poses Serious Threat to Your Health New Flu Strain Has Mutated, Become More Infectious Brazil Finds New Strain of Swine Flu Seven More Swine Flu Deaths in NYC “City health officials estimate 253,000 people had the swine flu in Queens and Brooklyn alone during May.” House OKs $7.7 Billion to Respond to Flu Pandemic

Fears of Flu Strains Mixing Herd of Alberta Pigs Got Swine Flu, But Not From the Carpenter Novartis Will Not Give Free Swine Flu Shots to Poor Countries Oz: 1/3 of Victorians May Have Swine Flu

Britons urged not to panic, as flu cases spike Baxter In “Full Scale” Production of Swine Flu Vaccine UK Reports Its First Swine Flu Death “First” Swine Flu Death In Europe

Don’t Worry, It’s Just a Pandemic Just redefining it so there is no panic. Symptoms of Swine Flu and What to Do Delayed Pandemic Phase 6 Designation Raises Pandemic Concerns “The parallels between the 2009 pandemic and the 1918 pandemic are striking; Both began as a mild infection in the spring and targeted previously healthy young adults. In the fall of 1918, the virus was much more deadly, leading to the death of 20-50 million people, most of which were previously healthy young adults….the two-month delay in the pandemic [phase] 6 declaration may prove to be quite hazardous to the …

First batch of swine flu vaccine produced Germs and flu are up; infection control is down; Recession forces hospitals to cut back on superbug safety, survey says Swine flu may have been spreading in August