Swine Flu Case Reported in Spokane, Washington

Swine flu has hit Spokane, Washington. The news, according to Washington State health officials, is that a probable case of swine flu has been confirmed in the city of Spokane. The case has been found in a man that  works for the county, and while it is being stated that the case is only a "probable" instance of the swine flu, all types of precautions are now being taken in the city.

Health officials held a press conference at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday night in order to update the press and the public on news surrounding this case, and the prognosis seemed grim from the two presenters. They wouldn't commit to this being an official case of swine flu, but with 6 probably cases being reported in Washington State as of 9:00 p.m. it seems that they don't want to make any wrong steps at this moment. It also seemed like they had a lot of fear in their information, and it could just have been nerves, but they continuously urged reporters to double check their facts before reporting anything.

The worry of course is that people will act badly when confronted with the news that there is a possible outbreak of swine flu in Spokane, and it is always wise for public officials to approach items like these with caution and care. The press conference served to fill in a lot of information about this particular strain of influenza, and update everyone on why the swine flu could be so hard to deal with.

A second press conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday in Spokane, Washington to further update everyone on the man's condition, and to hopefully return with results from further tests being done on the man who may have swine flu.

Additional Information: Swine Flu Symptoms

Published by Ryan Christopher DeVault Born in Seattle, Washington, I am a 31 year old college graduate working in the field of Education and Research. I am also a professional freelance writer and news content provider.  View profile
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Swine Flu Hits United States

40 cases of swine flu have been discovered in the United States, as of 1 p.m. eastern on April 27, according to the CDC. New York City has been the hardest hit with eight cases of this dangerous  condition. Other states feeling the effect include California, Kansas, Ohio and Texas.

According to Mexico's Health Minister, Jose Cordova, 81 deaths in Mexico could be related to an outbreak of swine flu. In the last month, more than 1,000 Mexicans have fallen ill with symptoms of swine flu. The Mexican government has declared a state of emergency.

The Center for Disease Control has activated the Emergency Operations Center to investigate these cases. They are working closely with the states that have been effected by the swine flu.

The CDC has discovered that the swine flu virus can be counteracted by prescription antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir and zanamivir. The CDC has moved about 12 million doses of Tamiflu from the federal stockpile to the affected states.

What is Swine Flu?

The CDC states swine flu is "a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza." Humans rarely contract swine flue. Most times, it is the result of direct contact with pigs. However, the recent cases are under investigation.

What are the Symptoms of Swine Flu?

Swine flu mirrors many symptoms of the typical flu strains humans catch. These symptoms include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, cough, runny nose, sore throat and possible vomiting and diarrhea.

How is Swine Flu Diagnosed?

A respiratory specimen must be taken from the patient during the first 4 to 5 days of the illness. The specimen is then sent to the CDC for identification.

Avoiding Swine Flu

Everyone should take the same precautions for swine flu as any other flu strain. Make sure to cover your nose and mouth if you cough. Wash your hands frequently. Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Do your best to avoid contact with those who are ill.

Should Americans be Concerned About Swine Flu?

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Pandemic of Fear, but not yet a Pandemic of Swine Flu

A pandemic of fear has taken the world by storm, as news of the disease known as Swine Flu and the disease itself spread across the globe. As of April 26, 2009 at 4:45 pm, per the CDC the disease is not currently at  pandemic proportions. From Tweeting to speaking out in forums to Facebook, there is speculation over whether or not the current outbreak of Swine Flu is the result of a terrorist attack, a lab specimen inadvertently having been released or a natural occurrence.

Discussions mainly center on the unlikelihood of this new virus containing, "genes from North American swine and avian influenza, human influenza and swine influenza normally found in Asia and Europe" having occurred naturally". OpenNews.com and other sites have caused more than an eyebrow to be raised when commenting on the "strange combination [of the Swine Flu components] never seen before and having less than 1/10% chance of being a natural event".

Swine Flu: A Natural Phenomenon

Although the combination of these components of Swine Flu occurring naturally is high, it does not mean it is not possible. People fear what they fail to understand. The Swine Flu that is spreading is a type of RNA virus. RNA virus readily mutates and therefore is impossible to control. There are other virus and biologic agents that could more easily controlled; other virus than Swine Flu are more deadly. Agents like Anthrax, are the types of virus that a terrorist would normally look to cause death and fear.

The World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as the Department of Homeland Security have no indication on their website that we are dealing with biological warfare. As far as these experts are concerned, this combination of components within Swine Flu is a natural phenomenon.

Facts on Swine Flu & Trusted Sources of Information

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Swine Flu Outbreak in the USA and Mexico

As of 7:30 pm Saturday, April 25, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a total count of 11 cases of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) in the United States. This is a new virus which contains "genes from  North American swine and avian influenza, human influenza and swine influenza normally found in Asia and Europe" according to the chief of the CDC's Influenza Division. Of note is that none of the patients had contact with either people that had regular contact with pigs or pigs themselves. This strain of swine flu has also shown some resistance to antiviral drugs.

California has seven cases; Texas and Kansas each have two laboratory confirmed cases of the virus. At this time, there are currently eight unconfirmed cases of the Swine Flu in a private school, St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, New York. Specimens have been obtained from the students and have been sent to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to confirm the presence of Swine Flu. According to Anne Schuchat, MD, the CDC's interim deputy director for science and public health program, declared at a news conference, "We are likely to find it [Swine Flu] in many other places. We don't think containment [of the virus] is feasible."

On the international front, in Mexico City 68 people have die pneumonia and 20 of these are a confirmed result from Swine Flu. Investigations, at this time, continue to see if these deaths are related to the recent outbreak of Swine Flu. Health officials in the US and Mexico are concerned because over 1,000 people have become infected in Mexico City in a short time span. The illness appears to be more virulent in Mexico that the US.

It is possible that President's Obama's trip may have been exposed to Swine Flu, as he was in Mexico at the approximate time of the initial outbreak. Apparently, the anthropologist that greeted Obama at the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, died the following day of flu-like symptoms. It has not been confirmed if the anthropologist, Felipe Solis, died of Swine Flu or not.

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Swine Flu and Travel

San Bernardino, California April 29, 2009 - Cancellation of road trip to ranch outside of Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico

The swine flu out break has caused me to cancel a road trip planned for the second week of May to a

ranch out side of Tepic Nayarit, Mexico.

This trip has been in the works for the past three months, the motor home has been tuned up, new tires all the way around and every thing readied for the trip.

Now that Mexico has basically shut down due to this swine flu outbreak, closing public buildings, restaurants and other services. Traveling through Mexico in a motor home just does not seem practical at this point.

The CDC is warning US citizen not to travel to Mexico if at all possible and WHO has raised up its pandemic warning to a stage 4 and said if it looked like people with no connection to Mexico were infecting more than just one other person, they would declare a stage 5 alert, meaning a pandemic was imminent.

Not knowing what is causing this new strain of swine flu or where it originated or why it is spreading at the rate it is causes great concern. Mexico is now over burdened with those who are already ill and others panicking in fear of this new influenza.

The Mexican people are going to suffer an economical loss from this outbreak and many are already off work due to all the government closures that are now in place. This could also lead to other problems along my planned route. Traveling through Mexico can be a bit dangerous under normal circumstances but adding the stress of this swine flu epidemic is not going to improve the situation at all.

There is no way of knowing if there will be a fuel shortage along the route or if the areas I would be traveling through would have other shortages that could effect my ability to reach my destination. You always run the chance of being robbed when you drive a motor home with plates from any state in the USA through parts of Mexico so when there are health and economical problems this just increases your risk.

Published by R.C. Bybee A retired nurse, partner in a home renovation business and a real estate investor, with a website on how to retire successfully in this economy.  View profile
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Recent Outbreak of Swine Flu

Various news and health agencies are now reporting an outbreak of influenza called the swine flu. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that cases of swine flu have been confirmed in parts of southern California,  near the San Antonio area of Texas, and in Mexico. The CDC is not currently recommending restricted travel to these areas.

Reports indicated that there are already dozens of cases of individuals that have been infected and the fear is that swine flu will continue to spread. What is so concerning about the current spread of swine flu is that a younger age demographic are becoming very ill; this is not the usual pattern, where either the very old or very young typically become severely ill. Following are answers to some questions about swine flu and ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease commonly found among pigs. It is caused by a strain of influenza—type A. It is not normally infectious to humans, but can be transmitted through contact with infected pigs or contaminated surfaces/areas.

How is swine flu spread?

Again, although not usual, it can be spread through human contact with infected pigs or surfaces contaminated with swine flu virus. It can also be spread from person-to-person through droplets: coughing and sneezing.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

The symptoms of swine flu are generally very similar to what you would expect with strains of flu common to humans: fever, sore throat, weakness, headache, chills, cough, and aching body.

Can swine flu kill?

According to the CDC the swine influenza has been known to cause severe respiratory illness, including pneumonia and respiratory failure and even death. Generally, even with infection of usual human strains of influenza there is a risk that some will become more acutely ill or potentially die from complications of the illness. Those with chronic disease are at an increased risk for particularly severe bouts of illness.

Can I get swine flu from eating pork or pork products?

No. The CDC states that swine flu is not transmitted through eating pork products.

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Elaboration on Swine Flu Myths

The swine flu is everywhere right now, social network sites, television, radio, etc., however there is a real potential for misinformation. Regrettably, some of the information out there is being misconstrued and  causing unnecessary panic. Are the actions being taken within the boundaries of safety, or are the overreactions caused but the myths circulated in the media? The following information will hopefully give you a piece of mind, while giving you an idea for a plan of action.

Myth #1- Swine flu can only infect you if you are in direct contact with a pig. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that in past cases of swine flu, it has only been contracted directly from pigs. Farmers or visitors at state fairs were likely candidates for swine flu. However, since it so closely resembles the Influenza Virus, it can be contracted from another person due to liquid droplets that get airborne from sneezing or coughing. You may even pick it up from a surface that an infected person has touched, only if the virus is still live.

Myth #2- You have the swine flu if you have any flu symptoms at all. This is unlikely, but if you have severe flu symptoms or a shortness of breath, check with your healthcare provider to be sure. Remember that those that have been diagnosed with swine flu currently are only showing mild symptoms. The Influenza Virus (seasonal) will likely put more people in the hospital than the swine flu.

Myth #3- Consuming pork products makes you vulnerable to the swine flu. As long as the pork products are handled and cooked properly (heated to an internal temp of 160F), then you then you will kill off most bacteria and viruses including the swine flu virus.

Myth #4- Your seasonal flu vaccination protects you from the swine flu. Note that the swine flu is a combination of influenza, avian, and swine viruses, so while the vaccination may help the human strain of it, it probably won't affect the other two forms.

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