The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alert level to 5 for the H1N1 (Swine) flu.
Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.
Ninety-one cases confirmed so far in the United States, with one death of a two-year old in Texas. The child was a mexican citizen visiting relatives in Texas.
The severity of the virus runs from mild to deadly. Regardless, taking precautions is certainly appropriate to take care of yourself and your family.
“It’s a virus that we’ve never seen before,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “There’s no background immunity in the population, and it is spreading from human to human, all of which has the potential for a pandemic.”
I have read numerous articles today with people encouraging “perspective” by reminding us that 35,000 people in the United States die every year from normal influenza. That’s true, but 90% of those deaths are in people over the age of 65. The H1N1 virus does not currently seem to be focusing on the normal flu victims (very old, already ill, and very young).
Be careful out there …
OneMom
It’s also worth noting that 35,000 per year is … well, … in a year.
That “perspective” isn’t useful until next year. For now, the “virus we’ve never seen before” is scary enough for me.
I have been listening to NPR and other news organizations and the amount of second guessing I am hearing is amazing. They are worrying the government reaction will be too strong and result in deaths from an untested vaccine, while at the same time worrying it will not be strong enough. Sometimes, I wish the newscasters would just shut up and let officials do their job, without all the questioning.
I know it is serious, but isn’t obesity a bigger “pandemic”? Or smoking? It just seems like the media is making this a big issue, when bigger issues are causing the real problems. Thats just my perspective.
I agree, obesity and smoking-related illness is of great concern. However, those conditions are not infectious. A person at the grocery store who is obese is of no threat to my personal well-being. However, a person at the grocery store carrying a potentially deadly and airborne disease, is an immediate threat. We are constantly working on the obesity, smoking, heart disease issues, but a new – potentially deadly – infectious disease must take priority for the short-term.