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140 as of this morning. Out of 20 million, not much. But out of 2000 cases...that's a hell of a lot, worse than some really, really bad viruses like dengue.

 

But there's also a lot of caveats to that: are there really only 2000 cases, or just 2000 identified cases. Are there more people infected that aren't being counted because they're just ill enough to see a doctor? Is there something about Mexico City making the infection more deadly (e.g. pollution causing lung problems causing increased susceptibility to the virus)?

 

The real eyebrow-raising thing, though, is the similarity to the 1918 pandemic. That, and the reportedly novel structure of the virus, AND the likelihood of our country not surviving a pandemic on the 1918 scale (Philly shut down in 1918, not because so many died as much as so many were sick that public services came to a screeching halt. Modern American cities are much more fragile), are enough to have scientists focused and the media in a frenzy - which it no doubt is. There's no earthly reason for hand sanitizer to be sold out at every store I've seen, for God's sake. :rolleyes:

Well with people in the US out of work with no healthcare, or afraid of losing their jobs thus being reluctant to stay home...if it's not just a "Mexican" thing then we're doomed. Oh well.

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It's in WNY.

 

Here you go.

 

Still "mild". Odd that so far only Mexicans are dying.

 

All five people are in their 20s and traveled to Mexico recently. None were hospitalized and several are already getting over their illnesses, officials said. Their symptoms are all mild.

 

So the diagnostic criteria seem to be "Do you have the sniffles? Have you been to Mexico recently?"

 

I'd wager that soon it'll be underreported in Mexico and over-reported everywhere else on the planet. If it's not already.

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Pandemic? Or covert immigration control?

Great news bites to take everyone's mind off of the economic pandemic. How many people have died of this flu in the US? Um....zero. How many people in the US died today of poisoning? Over 23.

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Probably because those reports were 1) redundant, every human flu virus is some combination of pig and bird virius, 2) ignorant, as they never went beyond "Like, OMG, this is so TOTALLY a combination of, LIKE, different stuff!" without explaining why that should even be important, an 3) stupid, as there's only so many ways you can say "Like, OMG, this is so TOTALLY a combination of, LIKE, different stuff!" and make it sound like news.

 

Even so, I'm still seeing reports. But I'm probably plugged in to better sources (and no, you can't have them. They're mine. :rolleyes:)

 

Did these same better sources encourage you to buy that Prius that couldn't get out of the driveway if there was a half inch snowfall, as you informed us? :w00t:

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Great news bites to take everyone's mind off of the economic pandemic. How many people have died of this flu in the US? Um....zero. How many people in the US died today of poisoning? Over 23.

 

Now, if all 23 had died of Tamiflu poisoning, then that would be interesting...

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It seems that the early reports of it being some sort of combination of swine, human, and avian flu have somehow quickly dropped out of the news.

 

 

Right......so this kills humans in the prime of their lives with healthy immune systems, yet there isn't a pile of dead pigs on every farm in the area.

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Right......so this kills humans in the prime of their lives with healthy immune systems, yet there isn't a pile of dead pigs on every farm in the area.

 

It's curious. Cases are being reported all over the globe -the rapid transport of folks via airline traffic, it's assumed.

 

Whats' really curious is that the fatalities seem to be heavily concentrated in Mexico. I've not heard a breakdown of this unfortunate deaths - were they primarily rural folks?

 

I've no doubt the Mexican authorities are performing autopsies on the victims, to try to understand why their nation seems to be so hard hit.

 

I have no knowledge of the WHO, but their ratcheting up of their alert "levels" does give one pause. I'm willing to believe that in today's everybody-is-so-precious mantra, they might be overstating. We shall see.

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So the diagnostic criteria seem to be "Do you have the sniffles? Have you been to Mexico recently?"

 

I'd wager that soon it'll be underreported in Mexico and over-reported everywhere else on the planet. If it's not already.

Oh crap! If that's the criteria, then I'm going to be quarantined...

 

Been down on the Yucatan since Wednesday. No cases reported here yet, but each day more restrictions. Working at a Uni, and they cancelled all classes as of yesterday. Today people are wearing masks. Was supposed to stay until Sunday, but will return Thursday. The colleague I have been working with has a cold, and I'm starting to get the sniffles....crap...

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It's curious. Cases are being reported all over the globe -the rapid transport of folks via airline traffic, it's assumed.

 

Whats' really curious is that the fatalities seem to be heavily concentrated in Mexico. I've not heard a breakdown of this unfortunate deaths - were they primarily rural folks?

 

I've no doubt the Mexican authorities are performing autopsies on the victims, to try to understand why their nation seems to be so hard hit.

 

I have no knowledge of the WHO, but their ratcheting up of their alert "levels" does give one pause. I'm willing to believe that in today's everybody-is-so-precious mantra, they might be overstating. We shall see.

 

I agree that there tends to be overdramatization on many newsbits, but if you read the WHO standards in a possible pandemic.....they are Behind The Curve in taking up the warning levels, and in fact changed the criteria of levels 4 and 5 last week in order to keep it at 4 for a longer period.

 

I don't know if THIS will go out of control, but we should know in a bit.

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Oh crap! If that's the criteria, then I'm going to be quarantined...

 

Been down on the Yucatan since Wednesday. No cases reported here yet, but each day more restrictions. Working at a Uni, and they cancelled all classes as of yesterday. Today people are wearing masks. Was supposed to stay until Sunday, but will return Thursday. The colleague I have been working with has a cold, and I'm starting to get the sniffles....crap...

 

 

Alcohol kills the swine, man!! :rolleyes:

 

Stay healthy, TPS!!

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