Virus kills more than 1,000 in one week

[FarCenter]

http://www.france24.com/en/20091128-over-1000-people-killed-h1n1-virus-past-week-who-swine-flu

REUTERS - More than 1,000 deaths from the H1N1 swine flu virus were officially reported in the past week, a sharp rise which brings the global total to at least 7,826, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.

More than half of the latest fatalities were reported by health authorities in the Americas region.

The winter flu season arrived early in the northern hemisphere this year and continues to be intense across parts of North America and much of Europe.

"In the United States and Canada, influenza transmission remains very active and geographically widespread," the WHO said, adding that the disease now appeared to have peaked in all U.S. regions.

"In Canada, influenza activity remains similar but (the) number of hospitalisations and deaths is increasing," it said.

<SNIP>

[alittlelark]

1. I think the regular ol' flu killed more.

This appears to be (thus far) a weak mutation.



I hope that it remains so.

[FreeState]

7. 36,000 people die from seasonal flu complications a year in the US

So its not many - however flu season has just started and ends in April. So it has not even began to peak unfortunately. If you take that number, 36000 and divide it by the number of weeks in the flu season (26) you would get about 1,385 deaths on average a week. So knowing that the numbers are more like a bell curve for deaths caused by the flu I dont think this is a good sign. (JMO - I hope Im wrong)

Here is a good site of statistics for past years: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivity.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

CDC Says “Take 3” Actions To Fight The Flu
These actions will protect against 2009 H1N1 too!
Flu is a serious contagious disease. Each year in the United States, on average, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from seasonal flu complications.

This flu season could be worse because there is a new and very different influenza virus causing illness called 2009 H1N1. CDC expects both 2009 H1N1 flu and seasonal flu to cause illness, hospital stays and deaths this season and is preparing for an early and possibly severe flu season.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges you to take the following actions to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu):


Take time to get a flu vaccine.
CDC recommends a yearly seasonal flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal influenza.
While there are many different flu viruses, the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three seasonal viruses that research suggests will be most common.
Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
Seasonal flu vaccine also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from making them sick.
A seasonal vaccine will not protect you against 2009 H1N1.
A new vaccine against 2009 H1N1 is being made.
People at greatest risk for 2009 H1N1 infection include children, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease.
Ask your doctor if you should get a 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

8. Do you have a source for the seasonal flu deaths being over 1000 in the last week?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. 36,000 deaths/year, divided by 52 weeks/year equals 692 deaths per week.

On average.

Of course, the seasonal flu is seasonal, so the number is well over 1,000 during flu season.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/weeklyarchives2008-2009/weekly39.htm

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

39. You seem to have missed "in the LAST week".

[dysfunctional press]

41. you seem to have missed that's the worldwide number.

a few hundred thousand die every year from seasonal flu around the world- that's well over 1,000/week.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

42. I asked for a source for the statement, that's all. I didn't miss anything.

[dysfunctional press]

44. and what makes you think that the other poster missed "in the LAST week"?

psychic? :shrug:

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

46. His reference to weekly averages was a dead giveaway.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

48. A dead giveaway to what?

Mathematical literacy?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

51. To the fact he wasn't referring to "LAST" week. Seasonal flu is virtually non-existent currently.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

55. Um, no. We're right in the middle of flu season.

It's widespread, all across the country.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

56. The CDC says differently.

During week 45, seasonal influenza A (H1N1) and influenza B viruses co-circulated at low levels with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses. Over 99% of all subtyped influenza A viruses reported to CDC this week were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

58. Check the map.

It's widespread in all states except 7. Of those 7, which are mostly rural, the flu is regional. It's regional in PR. And sporadic only in the virgin islands and guam.

You're probably confusing reported with actual. Check the totals this same week last year, or the year before.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

60. That's H1N1 that's widespread. Look at the data it's clear and easy enough for a 6 year old.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

64. No, it's seasonal flu. It says right there. "Seasonal flu."

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm

See? Seasonal flu. 6 year old.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

65. During week 45, seasonal influenza A and influenza B viruses co-circulated at low levels with H1N1.

What about that is hard to understand?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

66. Here's the same map under H1N1 Flu and yes my 6 year old nephew could have figured that out.

Weekly Influenza Activity Estimates Reported by State and Territorial Epidemiologists
(Activity levels indicate geographic spread of both seasonal and 2009 influenza A viruses)

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/updates/us/

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

79. Yes, genius. It's flu season.

For both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

81. No need to thank me for the education. You're welcome.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

82. That's not what you said earlier is it, genius?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

71. (Activity levels indicate geographic spread of both seasonal and 2009 influenza A viruses)

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

74. Where did you go?

[dysfunctional press]

61. when the 'average' is well over 1,000 deaths per week-

some weeks will have more, and some will have less.

that's how averages work...:shrug:

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

63. See you understand. I didn't ask about averages, I asked about last week.

[dysfunctional press]

67. exactly- and 1,000 worldwide flu deaths in the last week is not all that extrordinary.

an average week would have many more than that. some will have less, and some will have more.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

69. Who said it was extraordinary?

[dysfunctional press]

72. the op seems to be making that implication.

otherwise, why create the post at all?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

73. Reuters reported the WHO said it was a sharp increase. The OP made no implication what so ever.

[dysfunctional press]

75. that's your opinion, and your prerogative to think so...

but the implication is there, nonetheless.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

76. Simply posting a news story does not make an implication. The OP made no comment or response.

Sorry I ran your buddy off.

[dysfunctional press]

77. in your opinion.

mine is different.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

47. No.

This is flu seasons. Chances are high that well over 1,000 Americans died from the seasonal flu LAST week. And THIS week. And NEXT week. And so on.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

52. Then surely you have a source that confirms that. CDC, WHO, etc. Easy to back up, eh?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

53. What part of math are you having problems understanding?

When do you think 36,000 die of seasonal flu every year? During flu season? Or do they save it all up until a couple of weeks in August?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

57. The CDC says you are wrong take it up with them.

During week 45, seasonal influenza A (H1N1) and influenza B viruses co-circulated at low levels with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses. Over 99% of all subtyped influenza A viruses reported to CDC this week were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

59. No, they don't.

Learn to read.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

62. Yes they do and here's the data for everyone to see.

WHO and NREVSS collaborating laboratories located in all 50 states and Washington D.C., report to CDC the number of respiratory specimens tested for influenza and the number positive by influenza type and subtype. The results of tests performed during the current week are summarized in the table below.

Week 45
No. of specimens tested 10,803
No. of positive specimens (%) 3,106 (28.8%)
Positive specimens by type/subtype
Influenza A 3,103 (99.9%)
A (2009 H1N1) 2,468 (79.5%)
A (subtyping not performed) 624 (20.1%)
A (unable to subtype) 10 (0.3%)
A (H3) 0 (0.0%)
A (H1) 1 (0.1%)
Influenza B 3 (0.1%)

During week 45, seasonal influenza A (H1N1) and influenza B viruses co-circulated at low levels with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses. Over 99% of all subtyped influenza A viruses reported to CDC this week were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

[Edweird]

18. Apples and oranges. The "1,000" is worldwide. "Flu season" is local.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

40. I just asked for a source, how is that apples and oranges?

[Bluebear]

11. In New England we have no regular flu, it is overwhelmingly H1N1

[jasi2006]

20. Is there a record of these symptoms following the flu in your area?

I'm curious to know. Perhaps I had the H1N1 and didn't know it and the only indication are these symptoms that some say follow the flu?

[Robb]

21. Here's the problem I have with this "regular flu kills more" meme.

Even if it's true, so what?

Do you think the "regular" flu stops killing people because H1N1 is on tap? Whoever H1N1 kills will be on top of that.

It's like saying the seasonal flu kills more Americans than the war in Afghanistan, so we shouldn't worry about the war.

[cowcommander]

2. And how many people died in the same week due to poverty?

[jasi2006]

3. Flu? What is this upper respiratory infection that causes constant coughing,

mucous formation, and the need for constant blowing of the nose? I have had it for two weeks and others in my area seem to be suffering from the same thing. I went to the emergency room thinking it was H1N1. I wasn't even tested, told it was the flu and told to go home and drink plenty of liquids and return if I got a high temp. and breathing difficulties. WTF?

This thing that I have has no temperature, no aches or pains, just uncontrollable outbursts of coughing with phlegm from both nose and throat. Sometimes I cough until I have a headache and was afraid of blowing a blood vessle.

Anyone else out there experiencing this stuff? Is this something that the medical profession is just ignoring because they don't know what it is?

[leftstreet]

4. Here, too

WA state

I've got it, and every other person I know has it! It sucks - never seems to develop into full blown flu either. Just chronic crud.

[LostInAnomie]

5. Same here

I had the exact same symptoms earlier this month. I was coughing hard for about two weeks. My father caught it and has had it for almost three weeks. It's incredibly hard to get rid of.

[jasi2006]

6. Think maybe this is some kind of epidemic that is going unnoticed by

CDC? I don't know anyone with H1N1 but I know several people with this stuff. Symptoms are all the same. At least four people in my family have it and they live in different parts of the country.

[laundry_queen]

12. In my daughter's school

They tested some kids who were sick and all had H1N1, so my daughter got sick around the same time. Her symptoms, after the initial flu, were like that. Her cough only got bad after her fever went away. It took about 3 weeks for it to completely go away. My parents had the same thing and are still coughing, a month later. Dollars to donuts, this is all H1N1. It's by far the main virus circulating right now.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

14. H1N1 has definitely been bad in terms for affecting the respiratory system.

We've had some very bad cases where healthy young adults ended up on vents but never recovered.

[uppityperson]

45. If you have a cough for a couple weeks, bronchial type even, was probably influenza

Influenza virus can live in a narrow temperature range, that of your respiratory system. Once your body starts fighting it off and dealing with the damage it caused, you cough. Do you hear people hacking away who then say "no, it's just bronchitis"? Well, good chance that it was caused by influenza, is an aftermath of influenza.

That is the prime symptom after having influenza. Having aches, chills, fever, headache are prime signs of having influenza, but people can have only mild variations of those. The cough though is typical and highly indicative of having had influenza.

The blood test is the way to find out for sure, but due to the expense they are not often done. Also since the symptoms are treated the same whatever the cause, they also are not often done.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

9. Sounds like bronchitis. Flu would have been gone by now.

I had a bad case of bronchitis last spring. I would cough till I blacked out. I'd go see your family doc.

[laundry_queen]

10. Bronchitis and pneumonia

can result from having the flu, and can appear quite some time after when you think the illness is gone. I went through a bad bout of bronchitis last year also, after having a very mild bout of flu. The coughing got worse very gradually as I started feeling better from the fever, but it got to the point where I was coughing so hard I was puking and seeing stars, and my bronchiodilator was not working at all. By then it was a few weeks after the flu. So, it very well might be bronchitis but it doesn't mean it wasn't a result of the flu. Which is why even in a normal flu season it's very difficult to count the number of flu-related deaths. Secondary infections don't always appear concurrently w/the flu, sometimes they pop up later.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

13. Of course, but without any other flu related symptom ever developing the diagnosis is questionable.

[jasi2006]

17. Right. X-ray revealed no fluid in lungs.

I never had anything resembling the flu.

[BolivarianHero]

49. And to make things even more confusing...

A bad cold, a bout of the flu, and mild forms of viral bronchitis and pneumonia can all have a similar constellation of symptoms.

[jasi2006]

16. Been to the family doctor. Prescribed antibiotics to keep infection away.

It didn't do a thing for the ailment. Still no temperature. This is the worse non-temperature disease I ever had. My bladder is weakened from the coughing and my head aches. There must be something that can be done but no doctor i visited, including the emergency room docs, seems concerned.

[Ms. Toad]

80. At least locally the H1N1 is frequently followed

by either extended coughing or bronchitis.

I had what was almost certainly the H1N1 virus a couple of weeks ago, which was followed by flu-triggered bronchitis. I've had enough bronchitis to know what it feels and sounds like. I didn't listen closely enough to my daughter's chest (who gave the virus to me) to see if hers was just the tail end of the flu or whether she had progressed to bronchitis as well - but she is still coughing periodically (her math instructor had it a week earlier, and was still coughing a couple of weeks ago). It's a nasty bug.

Fortunately, mine's gone now - I watched and listened to it carefully to make sure it was retreating rather than advancing. The bronchitis took just about a week to lose the chest rattle. Unfortunately, tonight I seem to be starting a cold. I'm tired of being sick.

[snagglepuss]

22. .

[snagglepuss]

24. Read transcript of an eye-opening NPR interview about the absence of fever with H1N1

and that this information is not being communicated to doctors or to the public. It also raises the issue that the CDC is simply not providing any advice as to when a person without fever can be deemed to be no longer contagious.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/10/27/h1n1-fever/

[jasi2006]

35. Wonder why this is not getting more attention? Journalists are almost useless

now without marching orders from their corporate masters.

[snagglepuss]

36. Please read the attached article,

I know alot of people still doubt all the hype about Vitamin D but please read the attached article. New research shows the vital role vitamin D plays fighting bacterial and viral lung infections.


http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-11/uoi-lac1...






I hope you're better soon.

[Fleshdancer]

50. Pertussis?

AKA whooping cough maybe? Whatever it is, I hope you feel better soon. :(

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Pertussis

[Petrushka]

19. "Bell Tolling for Swine Flu"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61ySNSQTR-Q&NR=1

[itsrobert]

23. Not any worse than other flus

This is all about corporate profits. Making millions of vaccines is easy money.

[Swede]

25. Nearly 8,000 H1N1 deaths worldwide: WHO

Be sure and get you and your family vaccinated.

http://www.canada.com/Nearly+H1N1+deaths+worldwide/2280461/story.html

[itsrobert]

26. A far cry from the hundreds of thousands, entire cities being wiped out

forecast. This isn't the pandemic that the doom and gloomers have dreamed about. Maybe next year?

[Swede]

27. I know there are idiots out there that are ignoring this.

Flu season hasn't begun yet and already 8000 dead.

[itsrobert]

28. You do know that the Southern Hemisphere has a different flu season?

I thought you did.

[Swede]

29. I know,yet these idiots are ignoring the 8000 deaths.

Can you believe how stupid some people are and not getting their shots?

[itsrobert]

32. I probably won't get one

I'm not in that 'age group'. Nor am at high risk. So it's not really available to me.

[HuckleB]

31. And you do know that many of the 8000 are not from the southern hemisphere.

Right?

[itsrobert]

33. ooh scray people

8000 is no where close to the 100's of Thousands that were forecast by the doom and gloomers. Maybe you will get to see a real virus killer just like in a movie in the near future, but this isn't it.

[HuckleB]

70. Again, you are pushing a line that doesn't with mainstream reality.

And I suppose you think public health officials should do nothing. Now if said virus did kill far more, and they did nothing, what would you be saying?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

90. Are you under the impression that H1N1 is following the seasonal flu pattern?

[dysfunctional press]

43. where isn't it 'flu season' yet?

and when doesit officially start/end in those areas?

[HuckleB]

30. Can you link us to this supposed "forecast?"

[itsrobert]

34. Swine flu 'could kill millions unless rich nations give £900m'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/20/swine-flu-costs-un-report

UN Report

The swine flu pandemic could kill millions and cause anarchy in the world's poorest nations unless £900m can be raised from rich countries to pay for vaccines and antiviral medicines, says a UN report leaked to the Observer.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

38. I missed the part about whole cities being wiped out. Where was that link?

[itsrobert]

78. Yeah, "MILLIONS" die, yet all cities are spared

You are probably right. :sarcasm:

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

83. Ignorance is bliss, malaria kills over a million each year. Which cities does it wipe out yearly?

[itsrobert]

85. apples and oranges

But your focusing on 'entire cities' doesn't negate the fact that the the UN says that there could be 'MILLIONS' dying from H1NI.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

86. No one said entire cities would be wiped out. You made it up.

[itsrobert]

88. typiical debate tactics

find a flaw in argument and blow it up. Regardless of your scare tactics on H1N1, it's not going to kill Millions, or even 100's of thousands of people. It's not going to kill more than the seasonal flu. Most likely a lot less. But keep on hoping that it does, befcause you think it's a movie and you want to flop down in front of CNN and see it happen in real time. Get out the popcorn.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

89. I never said it would kill millions. I never made any predictions.

In my capacity at work I coordinate with the health department in planning for all kinds of issues including pandemics. I'm extremely happy that up to this point H1N1 hasn't been much worse than the seasonal flu for most of those who are infected. The media is to blame for any hysteria about H1N1 and about H1N1 vaccine. Regardless of the media though, communities should plan for these events.

[HuckleB]

68. A leaked "report."

Where is this supposed report?

Let's just say that said claim was not exactly the norm.

But thanks for the interesting slice of bad journalism.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

37. Can you post a link to the source of your statements?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

54. 160,000 die by death every day.

5.6 million per year.

It must be stopped!

[liberal_at_heart]

84. H1N1 is no scarier than any other flu

My daughter went to the doctor on Friday because she had the flu. She was vomitting and had a temperature of 102.8. The doctor tested her for influenza A and B. Both came back negative. We have just been waiting it out and tonight she is all better except she still has a little bit of a cough. My son on the other hand has had fevers of 104 a couple of times when he was younger. Now that is what scares me. I don't care what kind of virus it is when your child has a fever of a 104 it is scary. Both times that has happened we have taken him to the ER and they were able to bring the fever down fairly quicly by giving him both Tylenol and Ibuprofin and making sure he was properly hydradted. I have a neighbor two doors down that had the H1N1 virus and she is all better now. My daughter says that someone at ther school at the H1N1 virus and he is all better now. The most vulnerable of our population can die from ANY flu. It is unfortuante and sad. The most any of us can do is be cautious but not panic. I wasn't really considering getting my kids the flu shot but now that my daughter has had the flu this year I probably will get her a flu shot next year. I've been making sure that everybody in the household washes their hands before they eat. Other than that I won't live my life in fear.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

87. Who is telling you to live in fear?