Sinfest

Sam · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 8835

The CDC has just announced that the Swine Flu cannot be contained. North America has confirmed cases in all countries and as of posting some schools have already been closed due to breakouts in the United States. Epidemiologists are particularly concerned because people killed so far have been normally less-vulnerable young people and adults, similar to the 1918 influenza crisis.

Mexico is closing all schools, theaters, museums and other such public places in Mexico City to control the spread.

Right now the issue appears to be a rapidly expanding version of the SARS scare, with more substance. From an epidemiological standpoint there's not that much to be really creeped out about yet (it's not resistant to Tamiflu, for instance) in the current situation, but the way this is developing is something we should be getting used to. If anything, it underscores the violability of most world borders in the modern age.

Sam · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 8835

suspected cases in New Zealand, France, Spain, and Israel.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8019100.stm

President Madagascar shuts down everything.

CTrees · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 3611

That's it, I'm moving to Madagascar!

EDIT: Dammit Sam you beat me by seconds. *shakes fist*

Sam · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 8835

Yup, you're too late. Madagascar is out.

Any other bright ideas?

ShadowCell · Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 5251 Location: California

The Moon!

Shit, I live like a hundred miles from the Mexican border, I'm surprised I haven't caught it already.

Willem · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 6306 Location: wasteland style

Guccipiggy · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 2003

A friend from Germany says she caught it. Her doctor gave her a month of bed rest and she decided to come home and rest here. In Uruguay. We have had enough as it is with the dengue scare but nooo, she got the swine flue and decided to bring it back to her homeland.

Before anyone says anything, though, I totally think she's lying.

E-boy · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:18 pm Post subject:

Scary stuff, but before we panic outright keep in mind the last outbreak they predicted fizzled and disappeared.

No one knows why... Hopefully, they err on the side of caution and folks keep panic to a minimum and follow whatever common sense instructions are given.

The true nightmare, of course, would be a revamp of the 1918 strain that killed so many in the "young and strong" demographic. What made that virus so nasty was that for some reason it provoked such an OVERWHELMING immune response that the patients own bodies killed them before the virus could even consider it.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid" ~ SGT John Stryker from "Sands of Iwo Jima".

Sam · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 8835

It's really not a good thing that this outbreak started here in north america, because the united states is way more vulnerable to contagious disease crisis than it should be and it's about the worst modern country to have something like this start in or near.

We got tens of millions of people who will not get early treatment because they will feel they are not in a financial position to do so. Many of these people are associated with demographics that tend to live in close cohabitation with others (roomates in shared apartments, etc) and often feel they have to go to work even when sick.

We also have lots of flights and population movement hither and tither :3

E-boy · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:00 pm Post subject:

I won't argue that Sam. That's why I think folks need to really pay attention to what the CDC says here. Hopefully, they can come up with an effective vaccine on the fast track or find an old one that may help and make anti-viral meds available (free of charge for those who cannot pay preferrably).
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"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid" ~ SGT John Stryker from "Sands of Iwo Jima".

Mini J · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 1123 Location: Toronto, ON

Hooray!

When I say this is in my backyard I could, in fact, literally mean right in my backyard.
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ShadowCell · Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 5251 Location: California

So far it doesn't seem to be resistant to every drug used to treat it, so that's good news and I hope it stays that way. Hopefully scary "declarations of public health emergencies" will get people who would otherwise not take it seriously to, y'know, take it seriously.

Darqcyde · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:19 am Post subject:

Hopefully, when all is said and done, when the disease is contained, it will mean cheap bacon.
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DeD CHiKn · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:15 am Post subject:

Forlorn Devil · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 828 Location: In his own reality

Dammit they have some cases in New York. I'm fucked if it comes here. My immune system sucks, just cough around me and it'll be luck that i don't catch something. I've been keeping fairly healthy lately so it would only be fitting that I'd get deathly ill from this shit. Sad