Janet Nepoltano is worried that the Swine flu may hit Stage 6-a Global Pandemic and sources say the flu virus originated at a US offshore pig farm the Smithfield industrial pig farm in Mexico, that is said to be the source of the swine flu virus.
The first confirmed death is of an 23 month old infant that visited at a military base from Brownsville Texas later transferred to Texas Children’s hospital. The family has shown no illness and Texas Children’s Hospital is monitoring all personal for H1 N1 -or the Swine flu as it has been termed earlier.
The category of Stage 6 is quickly a very real threat and is approaching with each new case as it spreads globally including the death rate of other countries.
Vera Cruz is ground zero for the origination of the Swine flu and more deaths are expected in Mexico as thousands are being diagnosed with H1 N1 -Swine flu. The Governor F. Herrera Beltran of Vera Cruz Mexico is speaking on CNN that the little boy that was first found to have the virus is cured and playing with his friends. Dr. Carlos Del Rio of the Infections diseases unit at Emory University indicates antibiotics do not work and what kills people is the subsequent infection after the influenza subsides. Some antibiotics work and some do not cure the severe influenza as it works differently in every individual.
Many experts believe that the bird flu virus that triggers the next human pandemic may come from filthy, crowded factory farms. 35,000 people die of influenza every year in the USA and this strain is unique that Dr. Del Rio indicates that the human immune system cannot defend itself against it which is subject to question.
The development of vaccines for this strain will take time to make and involves the testing and studies involving those who have contracted this virus. Currently it is spreading from human to human which when spreading globally creates a Pandemic. The Head of the World Health Organization spoke this hour on the real possibility that the virus is now reaching a pandemic of global proportions. Right now there is a level 4 and there is concern that the Dr. Margaret Chan the Director General of WHO is raising the threat level to stage 6 -which is based on evidence that the human to human spread and more countries are involved.
A pandemic is eminent now and the WHO organization is making an announcement momentarily. Phase 4 is human to human transmission followed by stage 5-6 which includes spread to other countries in the new grading system of the World Health Organization.
Stage 5-6 is widespread infection, followed by post peak or possibility of recurrent events. Dr. Chan announces that based on assessment of the current situation she as decided to raise the stages to stage 5, for the capacity for the swine flu to spread globally and preparedness measures for the swine flu and they are tracking the evolution of a pandemic for the first time in history.
The current outbreak is now at stage 5 which is “strong signal the pandemic is imminent” and new diseases are poorly understood, as well influenza viruses are unpredictable. Dr. Chan also thanked the Canadian and US governments for their assistance and she warns all countries to activate their pandemic measures warranting heightened survelliance and a higher phase of alertness. Influenza vaccine companies are being told to ramp up production of anti-virus vaccines.
The spectrum of this virus ranges from mild to severe reactions and influenza may cause mild disease in affluent countries but more severe disease in developing countries. The basis of the decision to raise the Stage from 4 to Stage 5 was due to the conditions of criteria demonstrating human to human transmission at a sustainable level in community spread, and two countries in one region the stage is raised to stage 5 in the Americas. These are the qualifications and benchmarks of a stage 5 which means that a pandemic is emminent
The Roche drug company has a license to several manufacturers in several countries and under WHO regulations each country must decide whether to pick up the license for Tamiflu drugs.
TAGS: Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO raises Swine flu to Stage 5, anti-virus vaccines, influenza, H1 N1 virus threat level raised to 5, WHO raises H1N1 virus to Stage 5, vaccines ramp up production, vaccine production, Roche donates 5 million vaccines, surveillance of flu, swine flu disease, benchmarks of Stage 5, pandemic, Tamiflu, Tamiflu vaccines.
