baha
Dec 2004
www.pandora.com/
|
quote:
Originally posted by carolinawolf
Looks like the most of you guys were right. I just ran across this BWO "The Drudge Report" on the net.
Only 7 swine flu deaths, not 152, says WHO (World Health Organization)
"They dismissed claims that more than 150 people have died from swine flu, saying it has officially recorded only seven deaths around the world."
"That figure is not a figure that's come from the World Health Organization and, I repeat, the death toll is seven and they are all from Mexico."
Why are the news Agencies allowed to start these panics with out being held responsible?
meanwhile all of these headlines are on the same Drudge Report.
World takes drastic steps to contain flu...
Hits home in USA: Now in 11 states...
UPDATE: France asks EU to suspend flights to Mexico...
CDC: 91 confirmed cases in USA...
EGYPT ORDERS CULL OF ALL PIGS...
*FARMERS RIOT...
Mexico visitors head for home...
UK to leaflet every house...
EU Commission expects deaths in Europe...
Phoenix police wearing gear to protect against flu...
California Marine has swine flu; 30 quarantined.
Only 7 swine flu deaths, not 152, says WHO
Truth?
The symptoms of swine flu are apparently very similar to severe pneumonia and it's difficult to differentiate between the two. I have no idea what the usual pneumonia rates in Mexico are, but I suspect there's been a massive increase and that's why local doctors/morticians are dealing with it as swine flu. There are 7 deaths that are undeniably and categorically swine flu, but the remaining cases may be swine flu too.
Because flu is so common, we see it every year, treatment is usually effective most people are blasé about it. But standard seasonal flu kills 1000's in the UK every year, as many as 20k+ in some years as recently as the late 1990's. Admittedly they're generally the younger/older and weaker members of the population, but the effects of flu are the cause.
This strain of flu is far deadlier and will kill even those who aren't poorly or infirm. In terms of population it won't make a massive dent, the numbers I've seen say if it reaches pandemic proportions then potentially there may be 50,000 deaths in the UK - that's still less than 1 in 1000. I *believe* a pandemic means 1 in 4 infected, so about 15m infections in the UK.
It may be that it never reaches those proportions, the mass hysteria and warnings are to try and prevent that happening (as far as the health authorities are concerned, obviously, though for the press it's far more about that hysteria selling papers and advertising space/time).
You can all discount as meaningless because bird flu had almost no impact...but it may just be that the hysteria that surrounded it, the culling of animals worldwide and the transport/migration restrictions imposed was what made it so benign.
My mum is old and relatively weak, I have nephews and neices that are young and susceptible. Personally, if I get a sniffle I'm getting it checked. Possibly it'll save my life, possibly it'll save the lives of friends and families.
__________________
Last edited by baha on 04-30-2009 at 12:03 PM
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
04-27-2009 06:31 PM
