Author Archives 
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Swine flu may flourish in southern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere countries that have largely escaped swine flu infections could soon become more vulnerable, experts warn, as the approaching winter brings with it an elevated risk of the virus spreading and mutating. (Associated Press)
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Survivors remember the 1918 flu pandemic
Thanks to their immunity built more than 90 years ago from their brush with one the world’s deadliest pandemics, the survivors of the 1918 Spanish flu could help in a fight against the swine flu. (CNN)
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Outbreak growing in Britain
Nine new cases of swine flu were confirmed in the UK today, leading to the closure of another London school. All but two had caught the infection in this country. (The Guardian)
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Mexico objects to quarantines in China
The Chinese authorities have confined dozens of Mexicans to hotels and hospitals despite having no signs of human swine virus, Mexican consular officials said Monday, leading the Mexican government to accuse China of unfairly quarantining its nationals and acting without regard to internationally accepted public health practices. (The New York Times)
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School at epicenter of NYC outbreak reopens
St. Francis Preparatory School, the well-regarded Catholic school that was the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak in New York City, reopened for classes on Monday after being closed for a week. (The New York Times)
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WHO chief on the unpredictable nature of the flu
The World Health Organization chief says the world needs to maintain a “high level of vigilance.” Margaret Chan also warns that historically, flu pandemics have come in two or three waves, and that the first wave can be very mild. (BBC News video)
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Mexico lowers its swine flu alert level
Mexico lowered its health alert level, citing improvements in the battle against swine flu. “The measures we have taken, and above all the public’s reaction, have led to an improvement,” Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said. U.S. health officials cautioned that the H1N1 virus is still on an “upswing” in the United States. (CNN)
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Flu alert level likely to be raised to highest level
The World Health Organization is likely to raise its alert for the swine flu outbreak to the highest level and declare a pandemic, the director tells a Spanish newspaper. The WHO warns against “unnecessary panic” over the decision. (Fox News)
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Confirmed swine flu cases up to almost 1,000 worldwide
With swine flu widespread in the United States, the World Health Organization reported Monday that the disease had widened globally, too, with 20 countries reporting 985 laboratory confirmed cases, compared to 898 confirmed cases in 18 countries on Sunday. (New York Times)
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Experts warn against overuse of anti-viral drugs
Until a vaccine for swine flu is developed some months from now, the best hope for treating the illness lies with anti-viral drugs.But if you’re healthy or you have only mild symptoms of the flu, experts say you shouldn’t take them. (Chicago Tribune)
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Confirmed cases of H1N1 virus now at 787, WHO says
The number of H1N1 cases worldwide now stands at 787 with two additional deaths reported in Mexico, the World Health Organization announced early Sunday. There were 615 confirmed cases Saturday. (CNN)
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Number of probable cases of swine flu doubles in California
The number of confirmed cases in the state grew from 17 Friday to 24 Saturday, and the number of probable cases doubled, from 55 to 100 on Saturday. More schools in Marin, Yolo, Tulare, San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties have closed. (San Jose Mercury News)
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Sleuthing the swine flu
How the Centers for Disease Control scientists were able to link the cases in Mexico and the United States. (Washington Post)
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The swine flu gets its picture taken
The Centers for Disease Control released these downloadable images of the H1N1 Influenza virus, also known as the swine flu virus. (CDC.gov)
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Why closing the border likely would not work
Travel restrictions don’t work, disease experts say. By the time a virus has been identified as a threat, it’s too late: The bug has probably traveled far beyond its source. (Los Angeles Times)
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Ever-changing swine flu virus a challenge for drug makers
The swine flu outbreak has left public health officials unsure if they should change the composition of next year’s regular flu vaccine to guard specifically against swine flu. (Washington Post)
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Cruise lines avoiding Mexican ports
As cruise lines announced plans Friday to avoid Mexican ports for several more weeks, the swine flu scare stirred anxiety among tourism leaders and anger among cruise passengers. (Los Angeles Times)
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A plague or paranoia? It’s hard to tell
So is this new swine flu outbreak the next great plague, or just a global spasm of paranoia? Like all influenza viruses, it is mutating capriciously and, thus, is not a static and predictable public health threat but an evolving one. (Washington Post)
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Number of confirmed worldwide swine flu cases soars
Confirmed cases of swine flu jumped by more than 65 percent Saturday with the World Health Organization reporting 615 people in 15 countries infected with the virus commonly known as swine flu. The organization had reported 367 cases on Friday. The jump in cases was due to ongoing testing of a backlog of specimens. (CNN)
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Texas lab way behind in testing flu samples
The Texas Department of State Health Services is grappling with a huge backlog of testing flu samples in the face of a worldwide outbreak of swine flu and so far has tested just 181 of 2,492 nasal swabs sent in from around the state, a spokesman said. (Statesman.com)
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Flu could become a pandemic, but hopeful signs emerge
A new strain of flu is spreading quickly enough that it could cause a global pandemic soon, but there are signs a pandemic could be a mild one, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. (Wall Street Journal)
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Instead of kissing and handshakes, elbow bumps?
Common forms of greeting, such as handshakes and kisses on the cheek, are coming under scrutiny as the H1N1 virus, commonly known asswine flu, steadily spreads around the world. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent who has been covering the epidemic from Mexico, is advocating the “el-bump,” or bumping of elbows, as a greeting. (CNN)
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What scientists know about this virus
Preliminary analysis of the swine flu virus suggests it is a fairly mild strain, scientists say. It is believed that a further mutation would be needed in order for the H1N1 virus to cause the mass deaths that have been estimated by some. (BBC News)
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Obama: Swine flu may be like ‘ordinary flus’
Urging calm but caution, President Barack Obama on Friday said that it is not clear the swine flu outbreak in the United States and other nations is any worse than “ordinary flus.” But he said agencies across the government are preparing for the worst. (MSNBC.com)
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Blaming ‘media hype’ for swine flu fears
Did the media overplayed the dangers of the H1N1 virus? Can there be too much information? (The New York Times)
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Flight diverted after passenger complains of flu
A United Airlines flight from Munich to Dulles has been diverted to Boston’s Logan International Airport because a female passenger complained of flu symptoms, an airport official said. Flight 903, a 737 containing 245 passengers and 16 crew, has been isolated in the north cargo area of the airport. (The Boston Globe)
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Hong Kong to quarantine 300 people at hotel
Hong Kong’s government said that approximately 300 guests and staff of a hotel in the territory would be quarantined for seven days after a guest was found to have the A/H1N1 flu virus. (The Wall Street Journal)
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Swine flu looms over immigration rallies
Calls for reform are being met with accusations that illegal immigrants are spreading virus. Migrant workers have been cautioned about the disease. (CBSNews.com)
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CDC: Confirmed swine flu cases at 141
There are 141 cases of confirmed swine flu in the United States, up from 109 yesterday. Nineteen states have at least one confirmed case. (CDC.gov)
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Hong Kong reports Asia’s first confirmed case of swine flu
Hong Kong has detected swine flu in a person who recently arrived in the territory, its leader said Friday, in Asia’s first confirmed case of the disease. Donald Tsang told reporters the patient is a Mexican citizen who developed a fever after arriving in Hong Kong via Shanghai on Thursday. (Associated Press)