Anyone Feeling Sick???

[PaulW]

Devany, I read that there are two H1N1 cases on the Big Island and they are both school children.
Are they just not up to date with their information?

Do you know who you contracted it from?

ETA: Get well soon!

[centipede]

Well, it's official. We're in a pandemic. The numbers for global confirmed are still "small" (29,000, I think), however, CNN reported yesterday that there could be as many as 500,000 "possible" cases in New York City alone. I don't know where they got the data but it's one heck of a number. It's nice that it remains wimpy, and, hopefully, it will remain that way until it dies out.

[Devany]

Paul,

It takes 3 weeks for the test results to get back to the local Health Department and then another week or more for the official data to get published. I am one of the 4 recovering cases from the latest report.

No, nobody I know was sick and the only public place I was fore three days before contracting it was the Hilo Farmer's Market

Most symptoms are gone, but I still cannot hear out of my right ear and I have a slight cough, nothing like the onset of the disease, but still bothersome.

quote:

---

Originally posted by PaulW

Devany, I read that there are two H1N1 cases on the Big Island and they are both school children.
Are they just not up to date with their information?

Do you know who you contracted it from?

ETA: Get well soon!

---

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[centipede]

Since it's official, we should no longer call this bug H1N1 because it's no longer generic. It now has a distinction, and we should start addressing it in its proper format; that being a reference to the country or territory in which the first case was detected. So, Spain and Hong Kong, say hello to your new cousin, the Mexican flu of 2009. And World, see it for what it is; an enemy that feeds on us regardless of our genes, religion, or politics. It's a war that everyone on earth is fighting, we are all on the same side, and we are experimenting with weapons of mass destruction that comes from good science in that they are designed to cure people and not kill them. As such, I'd like to believe that the budgets of the CDC, WHO, and evey other organization dedicated to fighting an enemy that can't be seen, heard, smelled, tasted or touched and has the potential to kill hundreds of millions and perhaps even more should have budgets equivalent to or greater than that of the global military. Fat chance, huh?

[centipede]

Just an update to keep the topic current.

The World Health Organization confirms the global tally at 90,000 and the CDC says as many as 500,000 may be infected in New York City alone (swine flu "suspects"). WHO reports 337 deaths world-wide, with 170 in the USA. President Obama says the virus could return "with a vengence" in the fall and preparations are underway to do something just in case it does.

It's obvious the virus remains very mild, but there has been a development that has scientists concerned: The Hawaai Tribune Herald reported yesterday that a 16 year old from San Francisco is just one of 3 people in the world who has been diagnosed with a strain that's resistant to Tamiflu, the primary pharmaceutical weapon against the Mexican Flu.

And that's about it for now...

[Devany]

Big deal... I had it and believe me it is not that bad.

I did not even require meds, except for strep throat that developed as a side effect. No need to panic folks. My ear was blocked for 6 weeks after having it, and that was not fun, but other than that no biggie.

The deaths and even the amount of cases were so small compared to the regular flu it is minor.

And there are always people for whom certain drugs do not prove to be effective. the SFO kid is one of them.

The more drugs we take, the more resistant the germs and viruses become to them. It is better to live a healthy life and take on any viruses as they come.

Less is more when it comes to meds.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[centipede]

Anyone following the issue knows the bug isn't dying yet, and we're half way through summer. The paper has reported that it would be a good idea to get two flu shots this year; one for the regular flu and one for the Mexican flu, which has become resistant to the tamiflu vaccine.

I've noticed that every time the news upgrades the number of deaths from the Mexican flu, they always cite those who had other medical conditions that may have been contributing factors in to the death. I guess it's a good idea to do so but then again, it may also cause people to think that the flu, in and of itself, isn't that great of a threat. But let's not forget the "big one" in 1918 that arguably killed fifty million, and we should think about how many of those people also had "other medical conditions" that may have been contributing factors.

I guess this is a good a time as any to raise the question as to whether one should get the shot(s). I refused in 1975, and I'll refuse this time around as well and if it gets real nasty and I die, then so be it. I live my life on my terms, and if the end result is "ironic", then it's "ironic".

[PaulW]

The WHO site says (on July 8):
"At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the development of widespread antiviral resistance among pandemic H1N1 viruses."

The flu of 1918 was remarkable in that it killed so many healthy young people without contributing factors, as I understand it. So far very few fully fit people have been killed by this one.

So, no reason to panic, or even be overly worried.

[centipede]

Yesterday's Hawaii Tribune-Herald said people will now need 3 flu shots. One is for the traditional flu and it's up to 2 for the Mexican Flu.

I'd really like to know where this 1918 flu data came from because the pandemic happened 91 years ago, and I'm confident that the quality of health and record keeping all over the world has improved dramatically since then. In addition, it just doesn't make any sense that more healthy people died of the flu in 1918 than those with other "complications".

[Devany]

They are still testing the antivirus for H1 N1. It may take two shots, but most people are not going to be able to get it at all, there is not going to be enough of it for everyone who wants it. Children, pregnant women and those with pre-existing conditions that might cause problems will get it first, then the elderly.

I had it earlier this summer and it was not so bad. It lasted a long time and I developed strep throat in the process too. Other than that the worst of it was over in 5 days.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com