CDC: Flu Outbreak Is Becoming "More Serious"
(AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's top flu specialist has privately informed health care officials that the H1N1 virus is becoming a more serious threat, CBSNews.com has learned.
"We're now certainly starting to pick up more serious cases," Dr. Joe Bresee, chief of CDC's epidemiology and prevention branch of the influenza division, told health care providers on Thursday.
Bresee said on a private conference call that the situation is now "changing a bit," adding that H1N1's incubation period is between one and four days, and its infectious period is similar to seasonal flu at two to seven days.
CDC spokesman Thomas Skinner told CBSNews.com that "we're still learning about" the H1N1 virus -- also known as swine flu -- and declined to comment further on his colleague's remarks.
Bresee's comments come as more evidence of the new influenza strain popped up around the country, with a dozen states reporting cases and nearly 300 schools closing. Meanwhile, the CDC is racing to develop a vaccine.
One puzzling question, of course, is why the H1N1 cases in Mexico seem to be resulting in more deaths than the ones in the United States.
Even though the CDC has confirmed 109 cases domestically, plus a few more reported by state health officials, there has been only a single known death -- a toddler visiting from Mexico. The World Health Organization reports 97 confirmed cases of infection in Mexico and seven deaths.
By comparison, the annual flu season kills about 41,000 Americans a year, and, according to the WHO, results in between "250,000 and 500,000 deaths every year around the world."
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
Posted by cs4466 at 2:38 PM : May 1, 2009 --
STOP THE PARTISAN ATTACKS!!!!
I VOTED FOR OBAMA YOU MORON!!!
Posted by whitemale08 at 10:46 AM : May 1, 2009
No, actually it's just you. Well, you and the rest of the neocons.
The WTO, the Tri-lateral Commission, U.N., all of thise global garbage is setting up this flu pandemic to usher the NAU (North American Union)
That stupid, moronic British idiot PM Gordon Brown came over here and Pelosi let him address Congress and talk of 'continents'...NO MORE SOVEREIGN NATION-STATES!
And President Obama is now the GRAND SUCKER for the f_cking BANKSTERS BAIL-OUT who are setting this all up!
Folks, this is happening right before OUR VERY EYES! and we are just sitting here sucking our thumbs watching football!
WE'RE STUPID!!!
GET OFF YOUR BUTTS, CALL CONGRESS AND DEMAND GOLDMAN SUCKS GO INTO RECEIVERSHIP NOW AND FILE FOR CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY IMMEDIATELY TO SHIELD US FROM THEIR FUNKY DERIVATIVES SWINDLE!!!
DO IT NOW...OR DIE!!!!
Posted by Countrykenrs at 8:39 AM : May 1, 2009
I can think of one very good reason - correct diagnosis. In a lot of other countries lots of people (especially in poor rural areas , such as in China) may die of influenza without ever having been diagnosed as having it - and how many others had it but recovered. You can only accurately determine fatality rates when you also know infection rates. That's why the apparent lethality rates of swine flu in Mexico may seem so high - who knows how many other people were also infected but recovered.
Posted by aaaabbbbcc at 7:42 AM : May 1, 2009
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The critical term here is "confirmed". The WHO has very high standards so there numbers will be low. It will both not count a lot of probably cases until all the tests are in while Mexico is probably counting cases that will later turn out not to be this flu.
One question is why US death rate is so low compared to Mexico's. Let me suggest that with Mexico's health care system, a lot of people with minor cases, which is what we're seeing most of in the country, never see a doctor and therefore never get counted. The dead, however, have to be officially dealt with.I think if we look at Mexico, the dangerousness of this virus may be highly over-rated.
I think the most likely possibility is that deaths abroad due to influenza may be underreported, so the WHO numbers are low. We can't expect Burma or North Korea or Zimbabwe to keep as good records -- and be as honest in reporting deaths -- as New York City might.
Another possibility is that influenza deaths may be correlated with chillier climates, which the U.S. has, and not tropical climates, which we don't really have.
Another reason -- and this is speculation, so take it for what it's worth -- is that more and more Americans have desk jobs that keep them indoors and away from sunlight. Here's some research that suggests Vitamin D from sunlight can ward off influenza:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/51913.php
Posted by popstom33 "
Isolation won't save you. In fact, a moderate exposure to new germs helps develop resistance.
Just ask the Indians, who died by the millions from new diseases that most Europeans were immune to.
So wipe that smugness off your face.
I can't wait until these Hate Radio scumbags are discredited and forced to eat their words, voicing opinions on subjects they know nothing about and politicizing every possible issue.
- by msmablack May 1, 2009 4:04 AM EDT
- its such an shame that stockton california has not told us that they closed down an school,due to the fact that an child there has the swine flu and the parents of said child still has the nerve to go visting people help us here in stockton we have an very large population of people who vist mexico,its an shame such as it has been all over the radio stations news station and newspapers and they still take the child out and vist,wow lets infect more people
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