UP Ibalon Bicol: The march of the pig virus

The march of the pig virus

4/28/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Across the borders of Mexico the fast-moving virus has proven its efficiency of causing alarm across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) raised its level of vigilance to level 4 indicating that the disease is highly transmissible among human beings.

The United States declared a public health emergency to coordinate the Department of Homeland Security’s response to the changing health threat. Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said they would isolate travelers showing symptoms of the virus. Europe urged people to forgo non-essential travel especially in the disease epicenter.

CDC recommendations on Prevention

1. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
2. Avoid close contact with sick people.
3. Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

With the uncertainty of where the march of the disease will go, countries like the Philippines banned the import of pork from Mexico and the United States. Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines started active screening of with flu-like symptoms travelers in their respective airports.

To date, there are at least 6 countries with the pig flu infection----Mexico, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Israel. It is likely more places will confirm swine infections. There are about 2,000 downed by the illness with about 150 deaths. From extrapolations from past pandemics, in a worst case scenario, a large-scale illness can overwhelm care-givers and hospitals and cause the death of 2% of those affected, perhaps 2 million in USA alone.

The spread of the flu had negatively affected business and the economy. The world market fell yesterday amid threats of a pandemic and instability of the financial markets. Mexico had so far the most number of flu victims and it suffered the aftermaths of a faltering economy, drug wars, and a recent earthquake. Its major dollar earner, the tourism industry, slowed for lack of visitors.

There are those who ask why the US-Mexican border has not been closed---the disease adding to the problem of illegal aliens in the United States taxing the healthcare system. The active surveillance of suspected carriers seen in Asia is absent in America. The Obama government has no plan to halt school, ban large gatherings in public places considered mixbowls of infection.

Top level positions in the CDC and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) still need people to decide on encompassing health decisions especially if the situation deteriorates. With the illness out of the box people criticized Mexico for not doing enough in controlling the disease at the onset. (Photo Credit: National Terror Alert; AFP/ Luis Acosta; AFP/ Null; Reuters/ Chaiwat Subprasom/ Thailand Animals Health) =0=

============================================================

Labels: Ebola-Reston virus, epidemic, Flu, infection, Influenza, Medicine, Mexico, pandemic, Swine flu, Totie Mesia

UP Ibalon Bicol

The march of the pig virus

Blog Archive

About Me

UP Ibalon Newsmakers

Topics/Categories

Feedjit Live Blog Stats

Topics/Categories

Featured

Ateneo de Naga HS Batch 74

ABS-CBN News

Recent Posts

GMA News.tv

Philippine Commentary

Inquirer Breaking News