[Newsbot]

Title: Swine flu spreading at 'unbelievable' rate: WHO
Category: Health
Posted By: CanadianLynx
Date: 2009-08-29 09:18:56
Canadian

[rockindel1]

the "WHO" short for world pharmaceutical industry

[leewgrant]

$1:

More than 2,180 people around the world have died from the virus since it emerged in April, according to the latest WHO figures.

I don't want to downplay this many deaths but it is basically insignificant as a factor in the world's fatalities. And this was over the period of the Southern Hemisphere's winter. What is there to believe that things will be any worse during our upcoming winter?

[Proculation]

it's about the number of persons dying of the normal flu in Canada per year. "WHO" cares ? (hehehe)

[DrCaleb]

leewgrant leewgrant:

What is there to believe that things will be any worse during our upcoming winter?

Nothing. The thing about virology though - all it takes is someone who has a serious virus to catch swine flu, then have the two viruses mutate and share genes. So, now you have a fast spreading virus, that can cause some serious damage. And no one has immunity from it.

The faster and wider it spreads, the greater the chance of that happening.

[leewgrant]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

leewgrant leewgrant:

What is there to believe that things will be any worse during our upcoming winter?

Nothing. The thing about virology though - all it takes is someone who has a serious virus to catch swine flu, then have the two viruses mutate and share genes. So, now you have a fast spreading virus, that can cause some serious damage. And no one has immunity from it.

The faster and wider it spreads, the greater the chance of that happening.

After SARS and Avian flu the public are looking at WHO as the boy who cried wolf.

[Scape]

That is till people start dropping like flies. It's when WHO does it's job best that such pandemics do not emerge to begin with.

[leewgrant]

WHO's ranking system is flawed. They are at the top level now. They need at least one higher one to be invoked when the incidence reaches a higher threshold level. This would get people's attention that they have now lost.

[EyeBrock]

Watch and wait. This fall will not be good. H1N1 is everywhere.

[Brenda]

I was told (or read somewhere) that the reason most deads are under 50, is because there was an outbreak earlier, and those people are resistant to it now...

[kitty]

My company manufactures and buys product from China and all of those suppliers informed us that they will not be traveling to the USA next month due to the potential issue with swine flu.

We were a little surprised but i guess we need to take this more seriously than we currently are.

[EyeBrock]

We are planning 'worst case'. Best doesn't look great.
People need to realise that if H1N1 goes virulent (which we all expect it to), there will be problems. The WHO is well aware of this, hence the level 6 warn.

The good thing in Canada is SARS ensured we actually plan for this and the infrastructure to deal with a pandemic is good to go.

[leewgrant]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

The good thing in Canada is SARS ensured we actually plan for this and the infrastructure to deal with a pandemic is good to go.

After listening to the federal and provincial governments can you say that we are ready for it if it comes to anything? Forgetting about continuing essential services they still haven't figured out who should get shots. There is a private sector working group that meets with PSC and PHAC and I can tell you they are accomplishing f***-all.

[EyeBrock]

Well, working for a certain tier of local government, I can say that we are ready. We expect the worst and hope for the best.

[bootlegga]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

We are planning 'worst case'. Best doesn't look great.
People need to realise that if H1N1 goes virulent (which we all expect it to), there will be problems. The WHO is well aware of this, hence the level 6 warn.

The good thing in Canada is SARS ensured we actually plan for this and the infrastructure to deal with a pandemic is good to go.

No doubt. I feel awful for the people who died from SARS, but it was an excellent test of our health care system. Let's hope every medical board in the country takes those hard earned lessons to heart.

People like to call the WHO the boy who cried wolf, but what would happen if they didn't say anything? When a pandemic starts (and we're well overdue for one), people would be complaining about not being adequately warned and the lawsuits would fly.

I say better safe than sorry.