Flu Pandemic (in Italy?)

[Griffin NoName]

I apologise profusely for my irreverence and inappropriate behaviour in the face of what could be the start of a major worldwide disaster but..............  I have been rolling around on the floor laughing wildly....... the Guardian has excelled itself.... read the following with especial attention to Italy

does E.Raser write for the Gruaniad?

Swine flu spreads: suspected cases and precautionary measuresThe Guardian, Monday 27 April 2009 Article history

Spain Flights to Mexico are being equipped with supplies of face masks and gloves. Travellers with symptoms have been isolated and placed under observation

France Public health officials on alert and crisis unit set up at health ministry

Austria Has already stockpiled flu drugs sufficient for half the population, and 8m protective masks

Czech Republic Has 2m doses of Tamiflu, enough for a fifth of the population

Denmark Authorities have been stockpiling anti-flu drugs since bird flu scare

Italy Makers of Parma ham have issued a statement to say their product is safe to eat

Malaysia Health ministry has begun screening passengers travelling to and from Mexico at all border points

China Travellers screened for flu symptoms. The quarantine authority issues emergency notice requiring people to report flu-like symptoms at ports of entry when coming from swine flu-affected places

Hong Kong Has stepped up surveillance at border control points. Travellers with symptoms will be taken to hospitals for further checks. Samples taken from people with flu-like symptoms who have travelled in the affected places within seven days before the onset of symptoms will be tested in laboratories

Vietnam Has launched disease surveillance system

Philippines Stepped up monitoring of ports to stop imports of pigs or pork from Mexico and the US

South Korea Has stepped up quarantine and safety checks on travellers arriving from the US and Mexico, as well as pork imports from those countries. The authorities are scrutinising travellers arriving at Incheon airport in Seoul using thermal scanners

Argentina Has declared a health alert, requiring anyone arriving on flights from Mexico to advise if they have symptoms

Russia Has imposed curbs on meat imports from Mexico, some US states and countries in the Caribbean

United Arab Emirates Imposed curbs on meat imports from Mexico, some US states and the Caribbean

[Swatopluk]

How much pork do the UAE import? 

Less hilarious: How long will it take for the usual bigots to make hay out of it as far as 'illegal aliens' in the US are concerned or all of this can be declared as G*d's punishment for whatever (abortion, not burning faggots, 2nd amendement infringements, allowing a <n-word> in the WH, socialism...)?

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Italy Makers of Parma ham have issued a statement to say their product is safe to eat

If the Italians are affraid of their prosciutto they can send it to me...




Edited for a missing end quote ~ Griffin

[Griffin NoName]

My TV has just announced pigs are safe to eat

[ivor]

Not for the pig really. 

[anthrobabe]

Swato,
I have already heard at least one person say something about 'them illegals!'
This is Arkansas- United States. Sigh. And yes -naturally- this is sky daddies punisment for something.


'Vietnam Has launched disease surveillance system'  this one is the best IMHO-- is it like drone planes with really long themometers or something? WTF? Does some random person in a sterile suit walk up to one and say; 'bend over I need your rectal temperature for disease surveillance."?

It seems that Europe has drugs stockpiles and Asia is 'watching you man' as ways of handling the situation.

I believe that all will be well as long as the lights stay on-but if the lights go out we are doomed.

[Griffin NoName]

I am fascinated by the "We are overdue for a flu pandemic"......  iff they are regulated why don't the geologists help out?

[Kaliayev]

Obviously since its name is Mexican flu, it is spread by Mexicans.  And pigs.  Mexican pigs.  

Of course, the anti-immigration race-baiters have been linking foreigners to diseases for, well...forever, practically.  I don't think they really understand how people go abroad and have holidays.  Or, you know, do work in a foreign country.  Or have relatives there.  Or are dual nationality.  Etc etc ad infinitum.

[Swatopluk]

More absurdities:
The Israeli Ministry of Health disapproves of the term swine flu because pigs are unclean from the Jewish point of view and prefers Mexican flu.
The WHO agrees because the immediate pig origin is not exactly proven yet.
Some (not right-wing) conspirationists think that it is all a plot to enrich Rumsfeld because he is involved with the distribution company for Tamiflu.
Glenn Beck and Concerned Women for America claim that it is a devious plot to push the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius through.

I wait for someone claiming that the flu is spread by flying pigs (since it's an avian/porcine/human hybrid virus).

[Griffin NoName]

It's not doing a lot to shift focus from bankers, MP expenses, the budget or all the other calamities in the UK yet.... it's trying hard on the front pages but the others keep sneaking in despite..... still I suspect it will hot up.

From an historical perspective, the number of cases, and even the numbers of deaths, would have gone totally un-noticed in years gone by. We have learnt how to make mountains. I am not ignoring the fact that it might develop but travel between countries has been going on for rather a few years...... Hell, I caught glandular fever on a plane 20 years ago.

The fact it kills people in Mexico but not elsewhere ought to be the focus IMO. The reasons may be remarkable after all, why should it become variant the minute it leaves Mexican air space?.

[Opsa]

I'm not going to panic. It's the flu. Either it makes you feel ill for a few days, it kills you, or it passes you by. I think people in the US generally have better health care than in Mexico, and that's why not as many US folks have suffered as badly. I feel bad for the Mexicans, though.

What I wanna know about the blame-throwing fundies is why it never occurs to them that maybe 'the guy upstairs' is pissed off about THEIR hypocrisies. 

[Kaliayev]

Because religion (or at least their ethnocentric variation of it) is about sneering at other peoples misery in order to feel better about one's own relative worth and status.

Incidentally, the rumours in Mexico are that the death toll could be up to four times the official number.  This is only rumour, but it comes from a teacher I know who lives and works in the country.  Because Mexico's facilities are not the greatest ever, and because there is a very poor peasant/urban working class and because of crowded conditions in some of the world's biggest slums, the feeling is that alot more deaths and infections have taken place but have not been confirmed, or were contributing factors in the death and so administratively shuffled away.

[beagle]

The fact it kills people in Mexico but not elsewhere ought to be the focus IMO. The reasons may be remarkable after all, why should it become variant the minute it leaves Mexican air space?.

Might be cohabiting with bacteria or another virus I suppose; one that hasn't got a passport presumably. Is Mexico one of those places where antibiotics are available like sweeties anywhere without prescription? Tends to encourage the meaner type of bacterium, as I understand it.  Especially when fed to the pigs too.

It's times like this we're grateful for all those spare acute beds in the NHS. 

[Opsa]

Shoot, I was hoping there might be an hysterical sighting of Elvis speaking from inside a taco or something, saying that the Lord was punishing us for being so slow about allowing gay marriage.


      V

"An then He sez to me, He sez:
'Elvis, get them sinners on the
ball about letting the homos make
their love all legal in mine eyes
and in the law of the land. Don't
make me have to smite any more of y'all,
yuh hear me, bwah?' Verily an' all that,
uh-huh. "

[beagle]

It could always be divine punishment for Mariachi I suppose. Though I would have thought it was punishment enough on its own.