The great flu scare of '09

[Hawkins]

Haven't seen any topics here on the "swine flu."

Just wondered what everyone's take is.

I am pretty amazed at how the media takes a story and just beats it to death until people like me get fed up and stop reading the paper or visiting CNN.com for a few days.

Last time I had to boycott the "news" it was over the Anna Nicole Smith suicide.

Now, if I understand correctly, this is a strain of flu that has mutated so that it can cross from pigs to humans, and has been around once before in the 80's. It isn't deadly as long as the contracted individual is administered antibiotics, like Tamiflu.

It is mainly popping up in Mexico, where pollution levels are high and government standards regarding such matters are low. Initial reports of over 150 dead were corrected and greatly reduced to around 7 yesterday.    Perhaps there is also a shortage of antibiotics/healthcare in Mexico City, which could also lead to high mortality rates?

At any rate, I fail to see why the developed world, mainly the citizens of all North American and European continents in general, are even slightly concerned with this news story.

Perhaps there some bad water wells in Africa that are causing pandemics over there on a daily basis? But we don't hear about this.

When do you guys think that the media outlets will start reporting news again?

In all fairness, I would like to give props to KTUL, which has not run a tagline on the scare flu for about 48-hours now on their website. I complained in their comments section, pointing out that there are no cases of this flu strain currently in Oklahoma, and that they should stop with this.

I am grateful that they have.

[carltonplace]

Yea, it's been covered.

When Pigs Flu: http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=13278.0

[TeeDub]

This would have been so much better if the title was "The great flu scare of aught 9"

[BierGarten]

36,000 people die in the US a year from complications from the flu.  36,000~!

It is funny to see how people react when you tell them that all of this media coverage and concern over the swine flu in America (for now) is nonsense.  Mostly people just think I am crazy.

Not one American has died from the swine flu.

[custosnox]

36,000 people die in the US a year from complications from the flu.  36,000~!

It is funny to see how people react when you tell them that all of this media coverage and concern over the swine flu in America (for now) is nonsense.  Mostly people just think I am crazy.

Not one American has died from the swine flu.

actually, one baby died in texas so far.  So one american has died

[Townsend]

actually, one baby died in texas so far.  So one american has died

Mexican baby.  Visiting the USA for treatment of the flu

[Conan71]

actually, one baby died in texas so far.  So one american has died

That 23 month old in Houston was reported as Mexican.  

Score as it stands now:

'Mercans 0
Mexicans 169

[custosnox]

Mexican baby.  Visiting the USA for treatment of the flu

quasi american? lol okay, got me.  I just knew a baby in texas and assumed american. Started wondering that about the time I clicked post

[Gaspar]

That 23 month old in Houston was reported as Mexican.  

Score as it stands now:

'Mercans 0
Mexicans 169

That's sad no mater what the nationality of the child.

Mexico has deplorable medical care.  I've been in a mexican hospital where I had to bribe the doctor to treat me because I was a Gringo.

I hope the parents have good medical insurance so they are not saddled with the financial burden of the child's expensive medical care.  Oh, wait, never-mind.

[cannon_fodder]

As I understand it, the child (nationality not important) was in Mexico and got sick before they visited relatives in the United States.  Once here, he got worse.  After a couple weeks they took him to the hospital.  At which point he was transported to the Houston Medical Center, where he declined for another week or so before dying.

Sad to be sure.  But I really don't see how that points to a pandemic.  Any flu outbreak in a population of 20,000,000 (Mexico City) would be expected to cause up to 7,000 deaths (33% infection - top range of infection of the normal flu in a season.  .1% mortality, approx. range for common flu).  Hence, 200 deaths in an outbreak are entirely within standard parameters.

I don't want to be the wolf that cries boy, but I just don't see a panic ready threat.

[Hoss]

As I understand it, the child (nationality not important) was in Mexico and got sick before they visited relatives in the United States.  Once here, he got worse.  After a couple weeks they took him to the hospital.  At which point he was transported to the Houston Medical Center, where he declined for another week or so before dying.

Sad to be sure.  But I really don't see how that points to a pandemic.  Any flu outbreak in a population of 20,000,000 (Mexico City) would be expected to cause up to 7,000 deaths (33% infection - top range of infection of the normal flu in a season.  .1% mortality, approx. range for common flu).  Hence, 200 deaths in an outbreak are entirely within standard parameters.

I don't want to be the wolf that cries boy, but I just don't see a panic ready threat.

Also, as I understand it, that baby had another condition that contributed to the baby's death.  I haven't been able to find out what that was, but that's perfectly logical considering privacy issues, even if the child was not a citizen of this country.

[sauerkraut]

I don't get this crazyness, the normal flu has killed more people than this flu. There must be something more behind it that they are not telling the people. They closed down all the schools in Fort Worth, Texas over this flu. They don't even do that for the regular flu during flu season.. Glenn Beck was saying it's about a big flu threat like the one we had in 1918 and this flu may mutate into a dangerous flu bug. -Whatever- I think it's all over hype.. I don't get it..

[Hoss]

I don't get this crazyness, the normal flu has killed more people than this flu. There must be something more behind it that they are not telling the people. They closed down all the schools in Fort Worth, Texas over this flu. They don't even do that for the regular flu during flu season.. Glenn Beck was saying it's about a big flu threat like the one we had in 1918 and this flu may mutate into a dangerous flu bug. -Whatever- I think it's all over hype.. I don't get it..

Openly admitting you watch/listento Glenn Beck speaks volumes... 

[nathanm]

Openly admitting you watch/listento Glenn Beck speaks volumes... 

But maybe he is from around here..

[sauerkraut]

Openly admitting you watch/listento Glenn Beck speaks volumes... 

Yeah, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingrham, Sean Hannity, Mark Lavein, Mike Savage and the king of 'em all Rush L. I keep well informed..