US sees confirmed flu cases rise

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

The US now has 2,532 confirmed cases of swine flu, after a jump in figures in recent days, officials say.

The cases - up around 600 since Friday - mean the US has now surpassed Mexico as the most affected nation.

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Mexico, where the swine flu outbreak first came to light, has 1,626 confirmed cases. Globally, the figure stands at more than 4,300 across 30 countries. This includes China which on Monday reported its first case on the Chinese mainland.

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A jump in confirmed cases is also likely because the CDC has developed a kit for testing that is being distributed across the US and Puerto Rico, as well as internationally.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8043458.stm

[Demeter]

1. And of Course, the Only News Source Is Overseas

[dipsydoodle]

2. In some respects I suppose

it could be good news for those that contract it and recover ok which seems to be the vast majority - might give them some immunity in the future.

Maybe the fact you have don't have it in your own news is a time of the day thing. :shrug:

[enlightenment]

4. I saw a very brief snippet yesterday - so the US outlets

were aware of the numbers. It was mentioned during the 10 seconds allotted to discussing the death of the man in Washington state.

I suspect the consensus is that it's not politically expedient to get people worried about the flu while Congress is busy sucking the teat of the health insurance lobby. If their constituents' are thinking about their health, that might lead them to thinking about health care - and then they might notice that Congress is getting ready to sell them down the river.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. don't worry - it will be back in the news again

as soon as a new torture memo or tape comes out.

[Igel]

5. Stupid BBC.

Or at least "stupid reporter."

Compare:

1. "The US now has 2,532 confirmed cases of swine flu, after a jump in figures in recent days...."

2. "The cases ... mean the US has now surpassed Mexico as the most affected nation."

Since the US is the "most affected", we can infer that Mexico has had fewer than 2,532 cases. We also expect the article to confirm this.

However, while there's an increase in the number of confirmed cases, and almost certainly an increase in the total number of cases, we don't read that Mexico has actually had fewer cases and the US more. We read that it's probably an artefact (even though the US, with a larger population, eventually should have more cases, cet. par.)

3. 'A jump in confirmed cases is also likely because the CDC has developed a kit for testing that is being distributed across the US and Puerto Rico, as well as internationally. "This increase in testing capacity is likely to result in an increase in the number of reported confirmed cases in this country, which should provide a more accurate picture of the burden of disease in the United States," the CDC said.'

So the US isn't more affected because it has more cases, but because it's confirmed more cases. It's not the sick that matter; the only sick that matter are those officially acknowledged by the goverment.