planet earth looks blue

There is another virus lurking, related to the bird flu, H51N1, which took nearly 800 lives.  This version, A/H1N1, is known as the swine flu, and was originally contracted from pigs.  Mexico has been hit the hardest so far, with 81 fatalities, and hundreds of infected people still being monitored.  Nearly a thousand are recovering and have been already sent home.  Mexico City has more or less shut down, but there are no travel restrictions thus far.  Many are criticizing the Mexican government for taking so long to figure out they had a deadly, contagious virus on their hands.  It wasn’t until cases started showing up in the US that anyone realized what was going on.

So far the swine flu has been spread to the United States, Canada, and even New Zealand, with no deaths outside of Mexico.  There are potential cases in Israel, Scotland, and Spain.  Fortunately, many people are recovering quickly, but doctors are baffled as to what makes this virus deadly in some cases, and a minor illness in others.  Although any past flu vaccinations will have no effect on the swine flu, there are anti-viral medications which should be effective on the swine flu as long as it is treated early.  The most frightening problem is that swine flu is apparently transferring from person to person, as opposed to from pig to human, as it has done in the past.  When the virus is transmitted between humans, it is likely to mutate, making it almost impossible for researchers to figure out how to stop it.  Symptoms include basically all of the above - fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, runny nose, and a sore throat.

Janet Napolitano, the US Homeland Security Secretary has just declared a public health emergency, and the World Health Organization is calling the situation ’serious’ according to CNN .  Nobody has yet said the P-word, pandemic, although no one can deny that the potential is there.  Some countries are banning pork imports from the US and Mexico.  Maybe it would be wise to skip the pork chops for dinner tonight, and order a pizza - without pepperoni.  Other than that, at this point the word on the street is, wash your hands, cover your mouth, stay home if you even think you are ill.  In Mexico people are advised to avoid large crowds, and no kissing strangers!

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