It has been reported that the incubation period for the Mexican Swine Flu is 4-to-5 days, and perhaps as long as 10 days in children. That’s the “hot” period when someone infected is shedding the virus. This is bad news for epidemiologists. With modern air travel, this means that there is probably no stopping the flu from making it to the far reaches of the globe. So now, all that we can do is wait, watch, and pray that it doesn’t mutate into a more lethal strain. Barring that, my guesstimate is that it will be every country with a couple of months. The crucial time will be next winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It is now Fall in the Southern Hemisphere, so their upcoming flu season might give us a preview of what will happen up here, next year. Are you ready to hunker down when the flu hits your town?
Here are today’s flu headlines:
The Government’s Forecast if Flu Problem Explodes: Two Million Americans Die “Ninety million citizens would get sick. The economy would shut down.”
DHS Sets Guidelines For Possible Swine Flu Quarantines
Official: US Flu Victims May Be Infecting Others Confirmed cases in Asia Pacific and New Zealand
Schumer Bragged About Cutting Pandemic Funding (Well, now we are all in Deep Schumer.)
Swine Flu More Dangerous than Bird Flu
Why Does the Swine Flu Kill Healthy People?
WHO Revises Scale For Pandemic Alerts
Mexican Reports: Flu Much Worse Than Reported “The truth is that anti-viral treatments and vaccines are not expected to have any effect, even at high doses. It is a great fear among the staff. The infection risk is very high among the doctors and health staff. There is a sense of chaos in the other hospitals and we do not know what to do. Staff are starting to leave and many are opting to retire or apply for holidays. The truth is that mortality is even higher than what is being reported by the authorities, at least in the hospital where I work it. It is killing three to four patients daily, and it has been going on for more than three weeks.” – Dr. Antonio Chavez
Two Swine Flu Cases Confirmed in Scotland
Swine Flu Boosts Demand For Face Masks, Antivirals
Swine Flu Warning Raised as Virus Crosses Continents Now at Level 4. Could become Level 5 in the next few days.
Washingtonians Prepare for Swine Flu
Swine Flu Epidemic Enters Dangerous New Phase “The virus poses a potentially grave new threat to the U.S. economy, which was showing tentative early signs of a recovery. A widespread outbreak could batter tourism, food and transportation industries, deepening the recession in the U.S. and possibly worldwide.”
40 Cases of Swine Flu in US to Date (No Deaths)
WHO Confirms Pandemic Alert Level Raised to Level 4
Swine Flu Cases Around the World
Swine Flu Fears Close Schools in CA, TX, NY
Americans Told to Wear Masks as Swine Flu Spreads Around the World