Flash map showing progression of type A(H1N1) flu worldwide

[uppityperson]

Of course it only shows officially confirmed cases, but I find it very interesting watching how cases have been found.

Top right of the map is a "previous" thing to click on to go back in time, or "next" to go forward
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/history_map/InfluenzaAH1N1_maps.html

[Oregone]

1. Spreading, and "chilling" till winter I betcha.

[napi21]

2. How does this compare to the yearly flu we always experience?

I do not intend to dimish the quantity of cases of this new variety of flu nor do I ignore the fatalities from it, but it seems to me that there are a lot MORE cases & deaths from the flu we all deal with every year. I still think the media is overblowing this one.

[Mojorabbit]

3. It is not the severity right now

They are worried it will mutate into a more lethal form in the fall. The bad 1918 pandemic started with a mild wave just like this one and then mutated into the horrible strain that killed so many.
It is fascinating to see how quickly and thoroughly it is spreading in so short a time. I read an interesting article in nature yesterday that said that if it mutates it probably will happen in Asia and it will circle back around.

[uppityperson]

5. I think they are watching South America also, since it IS flu season there

I find the whole thing fascinating also, very very interesting to watch this.

[uppityperson]

4. So far it has been relatively low mortality. Interesting article on H1N1 flu myths....

Haven't watched tv lately, so don't know how the OMG! coverage is going.

What makes this different is it is a different virus type A(H1N1) and they are able to watch it spread worldwide. CDC has a flu map of the USA that they update weekly, been watching it for yrs also. It is interesting watching where reported cases start and how it spreads state by state, then dies down.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineFluNews/story?id=7691400&page=1

As Seen on GMA: Swine Flu Myths
Experts Debunk Four Common Myths About Swine Flu

1. Swine flu is more benign than seasonal flu.
According to the WHO, 95 people worldwide have died of confirmed cases of swine flu. However, seasonal flu claimed an average of 36,000 lives annually in the 1990s, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

While many believe that swine flu is waning and these numbers may lead people to believe that swine flu is not as bad as seasonal flu, the situation can be deceiving. Swine flu emerged at the end of the traditional flu season. With more people spending time outdoors and schools getting out for the summer, the virus is not nearly as likely to spread as it would be during the regular flu season, which begins in the fall and typically peaks in February.

As influenza expert Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University said in an interview with ABC News: "All that early discussion about mildness should be modified as the information has evolved," he said. "It's not a harmless infection. We anticipate that whatever it does this summer, it's likely to be a major player in the fall, and when something this new and unpredictable shows up, we are well-advised to do our best to prepare for it."
(clip)

4. When the World Health Organization's pandemic alert level rises, it means the swine flu is becoming deadlier.
The pandemic alert level is not a measure of swine flu's deadliness. Rather, it's a measure of how widespread the disease has become. As the WHO notes, Level 5 -- the current level for swine flu -- indicates that the disease has spread from person to person and a pandemic is considered "imminent."