Swine Flu UPDATE:Mexico City Shuts Down and World Wide Panic Begins

Swine Flu UPDATE:Mexico City Shuts Down and World Wide Panic Begins and it all started in a little town, with dirt roads and scattered with pig farms and a little boy  boy named Edgar Hernandez. Now know as “patient zero.”

Here is a pic of patient zero as he sits on his mothers knee, recovered. He survived the earliest case of swine flu that is documented.

His family lives in the 3,000 population village of La Gloria in the state of Veracruz, where a flu outbreak was reported on April 2nd, 2009, where state officials arrived and took samples from dozens of people.

Thankfully, little Edgar has managed to bounce back from his Swine Flu symptoms and playfully credits ice cream for helping him feel better.

Mexican health authorities suspect the swine flu outbreak has caused more than 159 deaths and roughly 2,500 illnesses, in Mexico alone.

Mexico’s deadly outbreak has prompted authorities to order about 35,000 public venues in Mexico City to close or serve only take out meals as health officials tried to contain the virus.

Health officials in Mexico City also ordered the closing of bars, clubs, movie theaters, pool halls, theaters, gyms, sport centers and convention halls until May 6th, 2009.

In Mexico City there already is a shortage of medication and it has became impossible to find protective surgical masks. Government has only been handed out to one out of every five residents.

UPDATED WORLD WIDE SWINE FLU RESULTS

The World Health Organization says at least 105 cases have been confirmed worldwide, including 64 in the United States; 26 in Mexico; six in Canada; three in New Zealand; and two each in Spain, the United Kingdom and Israel. WHO has confirmed deaths only in Mexico, where seven people have died from swine flu.

Meanwhile, governments around the world scramble to prevent further outbreak.

Some of the steps include countries like China and Russia, banning pork imports from the United States and Mexico, even though the World Health Organization said the disease “has not been shown to be transmissible to people through eating properly handled and prepared pork (pig meat) or other products derived from pigs.”

Japan and Indonesia, are using thermographic devices to test the temperature of passengers arriving from Mexico.

The Philippines’ health department urged people to avoid kissing and hugging.

Argentina announced a five day ban on flights from Mexico.

Four cruise lines, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Princess have canceled upcoming calls to Mexican ports.

President Obama stated that the outbreak is a cause for concern, not for alarm and the government urged travelers to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency authorization for the use of two of the most common antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza. The authorization allows the distribution of the drugs by a broader range of health care workers and loosens age limits for their use. Personally, that to me is a dangerous step as some drugs are very harmful to children.

WHAT IS THE SWINE FLU?

Swine influenza, or swine flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects pigs.

When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight, because people have no natural immunity.

WHAT ARE THEY SYMPTOMS OF SWINE FLU?

Swine Flu symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Swine Flu is cause world wide panic, even though the common seasonal flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year worldwide, far more than the current outbreak of swine flu.

Health authorities state their health concerns as there is no vaccine for the new strain of Swine Flu and little natural immunity.

“I think the reason to be concerned is … we had a vaccine for regular flu,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio of the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. “This is a totally new virus. … You have a virus to which there’s no pre-vaccination, there’s no prior immunity. And, therefore, the mortality rate may be higher than other influenza viruses.”

Researchers have not yet found the cause as to why and how the virus is jumping relatively easily from person to person, or why it’s affecting what should be society’s healthiest demographic.

What Should You Do To Avoid The Swine Flu?

Right now health officials are advising to keep your hands away from your mouth, eyes and nose. Use hand sanitizer often and of course stay away from ill people who might be contagious or have flu-like symptoms. Stay away from infected areas where swine flu is prominent. Cancel any Mexico travel, at this time.

For the full story on “Swine Flu UPDATE:Mexico City Shuts Down and World Wide Panic Begins
For the full story of “Swine Flu UPDATE:Mexico City Shuts Down and World Wide Panic Begins,”
go to CNN News.