New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, who spent a few days with his wife under quarantine in China following a Swine Flu close encounter, has been released and is now in Australia. He can rest easy, knowing he did not contract the disease on his flight to Asia, but the world is less secure as flu cases rise.
The World Health Organization, report news sources, has given Swine Flu, the H1N1 virus, its deadliest designation, a level six, pandemic. However, the word "pandemic" need not create the panic fear hustlers crave. Read more at NOLA Lit Examiner.
New Orleans has had own cases of swine flu, H1N1 virus, but its mayor, Ray Nagin, went to China for his possible close encounter. WWL TV reports the following:
Mayor Ray Nagin is in quarantine in China as a precautionary measure after it was found that someone he was sitting next to on a plane was showing symptoms of the H1N1-flu virus, also known as swine flu.
The photo of Nagin and his wife Seletha at 2006 inauguration comes from the Times Picayune. She is also quarantined with the mayor in Shanghai, China. Nagin went to China to try and attract business to the city, and he is also scheduled to speak in Sydney, Australia, about climate change.
The WWL story has video of his spokesperson's press conference.
President Barack Obama should not close the U.S.-Mexico border in response to Swine Flu outbreaks, New Orleans author John M. Barry said on WWL-TV this morning. The president took the appropriate course of action by keeping it open, said the writer who is also a visiting scholar at the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research.
Barry wrote the book The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History about the 1918 Swine Flu crisis and is not swayed by calls to shut out our southern neighbors.
Closing the border would have been an absolute ludicrous move. It wouldn't have delayed the virus a single minute because it's already here. You would have had to stop trade. For example, most ...
That Tulane doctor who thought the child from Audubon Charter School had swine flu was right, and the Louisiana state health officials were wrong. The Centers for Disease Control have confirmed that the child in question who saw the doctor at Tulane's Uptown clinic has Swine Flu and so do the five students from Cathedral-Carmel School in Lafayette and another person in Ascension Parish. In total, seven (7) cases of swine flu aka H1N1 virus have been confirmed in the state, reports WWl-TV New Orleans.
The Times Picayune reports that the state sent nine cases off for testing. Two came back negative for swine flu.
The patients who tested positive have been given anti-virals and sent home. None are in the hospital, which seems in keeping with the Swine Flu in the United States, relatively mild cases overall.
How Louisiana Gov. Jindal handles the current health scare, public fear of Swine Flu or whatever name health officials are calling the illness now, may end up as one of his "lessons learned" in his new book. Jindal signed a book deal earlier this month with Regnery Publishing, a politically conservative publishing house. ... Continue reading at New Orleans Literature Examiner.
Louisiana currently has no confirmed cases of H1N1/Swine Flu, and it's clear from comments at the daily paper people are tiring of the overkill on the story.
Oooh, the locals are turning on Swine Flu media coverage down here in New Orleans. Below are only some of the comments posted to a story at The Times Picayune, NOLA.com, about suspected but not confirmed cases of Swine Flu. Wondered how many of these comments are from the same person changing personalities/screen names.
Posted by wuzzup67 on 04/30/09 at 12:41PM
Damn!, They just wasted a good crisis. Oh well I'm sure they'll have another chance to panic the populace.
Posted by skepticism on 04/30/09 at 12:50PM
Does that mean we can't participate in the national hysteria. There are a group of people who so want to be apart of the buzz, Monday through Friday though.
I always find it interesting that folks don't worry about the national hysteria when the Saints or LSU are playing or when they want to go shopping for a new outfit.
Is the TP going to be running articles non-stop over the weekend. Are people going to be checking the TP for articles non-stop over the weekend. Probably not. They are going to be doing things they want to do as compared to being at work and doing things they would rather not be doing. The hype just let's them rationalize their lack of attentiveness to work.
And Mr. O can't let a good crisis keep from distracting his health plan and economic agenda. Please pay attention to his new ideas that the deficit won't be that bad because he will contain health care costs by rationing health care. THERE IT IS FOLKS, JUST LIKE JOE THE PLUMBER, AND NO ONE CARED BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO INTERESTED IN ALL OF THEIR QUALITY TELEVISION PROGRAMMING.
Unbelievable.
Posted by skepticism on 04/30/09 at 12:58PM
Oh and by the way, Mr. O is sooo concerned, but he won't close the borders.
There's that logic, Mr. O. What an intellect.
Posted by KSchmill on 04/30/09 at 1:00PM
Is this the same boy that the TP reported yesterday was from Mexico, that the tv stations said he was around a group that just returned from Mexico? The same one, who the doctor said he thought it was swine flu? As if the doctor would know for sure without test confirmation.
Posted by mospeada on 04/30/09 at 1:11PM
Everyone make sure you stay tuned in to the news networks 24/7, soaking up those commercials! That is, when you're not out buying medicine and surgical masks... Posted by KSchmill on 04/30/09 at 1:13PM
Skepticism
I am curious about closing the borders. I hear it is too late to close them because it is already here. Trueit is here, but wouldn't closing the borders contain what we have and prevent more cases from coming in? I hear other countries are stopping flights.
If anyone out there is in the medical field, I would be interested in your views.
They said on the radio that the family in Houston where the little boy died, had taken the sick child out to the Galleria while he was sick and now many have possibly been exposed.
Do officals really believe people will stay at home if they are sick?
Posted by imo123 on 04/30/09 at 1:22PM
Just like I said yesterday - media getting everyone worked up for nothing. It just amazes me how many people are so guliable and stupid.
Posted by nanunanu on 04/30/09 at 1:22PM
one more example of being terrorized by the media. in reality, the media is becoming comic book like. Think about it. how much of what is reported about everything would fit right into a comic book? deadly disease! its the freaking flu!!!! at some point, the populace should wake up and realize that the "news" has NOTHING to do with reality. It is all about creating a fantasy that insures viewership.
Posted by nanunanu on 04/30/09 at 1:24PM
KSchmill, relax. it's the flu!!
Posted by smallwos on 04/30/09 at 1:30PM
Yeah, I'm not going to succumb to the hysteria! My regular handwashing and avoidance of peoples' uncontained coughing will have to suffice. Relax folks!
Posted by secdef on 04/30/09 at 1:33PM
Skepticism: Are you that much of a retard? It's now a pandemic so that means this little virus has spread beyond the Mexican borders which means that those people in California, New York, Texas, and abroad so closing the borders won't prevent the further exposure. I know you idiots want so desparately for Obama to fail but you'll have to wait for something else..
Posted by capnkrunch on 04/30/09 at 1:35PM
OMG! I ate bacon two days ago and now I have a runny nose!!!!!!!WHAT SHOULD I DO? MR. OBAMA PLEASE GIVE ME SOME GUIDANCE.
Posted by capnkrunch on 04/30/09 at 1:37PM
Yeah, secdef everything is still Goerge Bush's fault for at least the next 4 years.
Posted by nanunanu on 04/30/09 at 1:41PM
capnkrunch, biden is handling this one. according to him we should all go stand alone out in a field.
Posted by KSchmill on 04/30/09 at 1:42PM
nanunanu,
I am relaxed as I can be with this sinsus infection.
I am tired of the gloom and doom of the media. If its that damn bad (which I do not blieve), close the friggin borders.
We have flus every year. But we have the WHO screaming gloom and doom, just like with the bird flu.
Yesterday local media reported that a doctor at one of Tulane's medical clinics thought a New Orleans child had Swine Flu. State Health Officials disagree after preliminary test results. They think it's unlikely the child has H1N1/Swine Flu because he's tested negative for strains A and B influenza. To date Louisiana, which includes the city of New Orleans, has no confirmed cases of Swine Flu/Mexican Flu/North American Flu/H1N1 virus.
Updated 6:00 PM: The Times Picayune reports that a doctor from Tulane University's uptown clinic thinks a New Orleans boy may have Swine Flu. It's only the doctor's hunch and a culture has been sent to the state lab for testing. See links at end of post after map graphic.
Just in from WWL-TV alerts, a school in Lafayette, La., has closed since five students tested positive for flu, a strain-A influenza. This strain has not been confirmed as Swine Flu.
"Governor) Jindal said that one of the five students had recently been in Mexico during a cruise trip," per WWL.
NOLA.com says that the school with the flu cases is a private school. The school has been identified by WWL TV as Cathedral-Carmel, a Catholic school.
Lafayette is two hours and 15 minutes from New Orleans, 137 miles.
Swine Flu Update (or should that be H1N1 Virus Update or Mexican Flu or North American Flu Update?): The first United States death from Swine Flu/H1N1 Virus is in the news today. A child, a Mexican citizen visiting Houston, Tex., reports CNN, has died.
Based on hits to this blog on the short Tamiflu and Relenza piece I posted yesterday, I think the death has rattled people. Tamiflu and Relenza are the two drugs that W.H.O. (World Health Organization) says can treat Swine Flu, a disease for which there is no vaccination.
However, with all this focus on Swine Flu, it's important to remember that the regular flu we see each year is probably more dangerous. CNN reports that more than 13,000 people have died in the United States from complications related to having the "regular flu" since January.
Meanwhile, some people in Mexico are offended that the new strain of Swine Flu is being associated with Mexico. The name and association is a legitimate concern because bigots will use anything to club another ethnic groups. I've heard talk that some people want to call it the "Mexican Flu" and use it to beat the anti-immigration drum while playing on American fears.
In addition, pork producers are crying foul, saying the name Swine Flu is damaging their business. It appears President Barck Obama and the government may have dropped the name Swine Flu in favor of the not-so-catchy "H1N1 Virus" label.
Finally, regarding Swine Flu, the Mother Nature Network, per the New York Times and other news sources, reports patient zero of this Swine Flu outbreak may have been identified. The NYT says he's 5-year-old Édgar Hernández of La Gloria, Mexico (pictured), and it's possible he may have been the first person to contract this new strain of influenza. He is doing well. (Times story at this link, from which comes the child's photo.)
But It's Natural:
Having mentioned Mother Nature via the Mother Nature Network, I'm posting one of my favorite commercials at the moment. All this talk of illness, including the superbug MRSA that Oprah and Dr. Oz. talked about on her show yesterday, which is worse than the Swine Flu, btw, reminds me that we love to idealize nature as though "natural" is harmless. Well, these bugs--Swine Flu and regular flu in the news lately plus MRSA and the flesh eating bacteria on Oprah's show--are all natural as well.
When I posted the first black Mother Nature commercial on Earth Day, the one above was not online yet. It's another Vitamin Water commercial that has Mother Nature (an African-American woman in a power suit) as CEO of Water, Inc. In this one she's canceling vacations and getting on a rabbit's case for needing more time off to see to his pregnant wife.
I like this one better than the first one I posted. I even like it better than the old Chiffon Margarine "it's Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature" commercial (Attack of the Wiccans: Mother Nature Phobia).
And more on Nature:
Do you watch the TV show Monk on USA starring Tony Shaloub? It's about the detective who's afraid of germs, all germs. If he were real, after the last week of health scares, he'd be locked in his house right now, taping up his windows and caulking all holes.
My favorite line from the show is in a scene where Monk is in the woods and puts his hand on something he'd rather not have on him (can't recall exactly) and he whines, "Ohhhh. I've got nature on me!"
Here's his theme song, "It's a Jungle Out There" by Randy Newman, posted in honor of all the people who've been scared to emotional death by the Swine/Mexican/North American/H1N1 Virus Flu stories. Let's calm ourselves and laugh at our inner germaphobe.
It's A Jungle Out There Lyrics by Randy Newman
It's a jungle out there Disorder and confusion everywhere No one seems to care Well I do Hey, who's in charge here? It's a jungle out there Poison in the very air we breathe Do you know what's in the water that you drink? Well I do, and it's amazing People think I'm crazy, 'cause I worry all the time If you paid attention, you'd be worried too You better pay attention Or this world we love so much might just kill you I could be wrong now, but I don't think so! 'Cause there's a jungle out there. It's a jungle out there.
A local pharmacist told a television news station that orders for two Swine Flu treatments have increased here in New Orleans. That's odd, considering that there have been no cases of Swine Flu reported in Louisiana yet and the two drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, require a doctor's prescription. I suspect doctors are writing prescriptions for their own families and friends or persistent or wealthy patients.
With the Swine Flu scare on full blast, it's not surprising that the New York Times reports that investors are clamoring for Tamiflu and Relenza stock, the two drugs said to be effective at treating the illness.
The W.H.O. said Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline’s Relenza could be effective against the disease, while the virus was resistant to an older class of drugs, which includes amantadine and rimantadine. (NYT)
Retailers are also seeing requests for face masks increase, and there's a race to develop a vaccine for the current strain that's alarmed the world. Yes, there's no vaccine for this strain of Swine Flu. Common sense prevention--mostly washing your hands with soap and hot water for at least 15 seconds, covering your mouth when you cough, avoiding crowds, and being kind enough to stay home if you feel ill--is the wise course.
I understand the concern and rush for Tamiful and Relenza, but I hope people don't panic. Mass hysteria only complicates matters.
For those of us who just want to keep our family's safe and stress levels low, knowledge makes wonderful armor. Here's New Orleans's favorite doctor, Corey Hebert, answering questions on Swine Flu, including whose at risk. In addition, my post yesterday included the CDC's list of what to do if you or your child gets ill and which symptoms indicate you or your child may require emergency treatment.
Please remember that Swine Flu and other forms of influenza are respiratory illnesses.
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions. (CDC)
Diarrhea and vomiting are not the most common symptoms and may be more of an indication that you have a stomach virus than the flu. (Also, please remember that eating pork does not cause swine flu. Once the pig is dead so is the virus in it.)
In this family we'll be looking for fever and achy joints as potential symptoms because frequently we have the other common signs like stuffy head, cough, and sore throat regularly due to allergies. On a positive note, Dr. Brobson Lutz of Orleans Medical Society told WDSU this weekend that flu doesn't spread as well in warmer weather and that swine flu is "in general a weak actor." So, while it's a bad time for allergies, it's a good time to keep down the flu.
At The Examiner yesterday, I posted Books on Flu and Epidemics, Nonfiction and Fiction, a good resource for anyone interested in reading more than a web page on the topic of flu, swine, flu, and epidemics. Or maybe you'd prefer to scare yourself to death with the five fiction books I've listed below the 10 nonfiction books.
We're being flooded with scary information from news sources and sometimes friends and family. It's important to remain calm. Please get your information from reliable sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or your state's health agency when you want to know what to do about a potential health crisis. Those are the sources I use for symptoms when posting on this blog.
Major network news sources such as CNN and your local news stations and newspaper websites can be trusted as well as the citizen journalists (bloggers) who research topics through reliable sources first and provide links back to those sources.
Here is CNN video on Swine Flu information sharing on Twitter and a brief discussion on the importance of raisin awareness without spreading misinformation and panic.
Seeking to stem panic over Swine Flu worries, President Barack Obama, governors and other public officials across the nation have been publicizing updates on precautionary measures they've taken to protect citizens. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal sent out his press release this weekend and stressed that the state hasn't had any cases of the deadly virus, but in Mexico, considered to be the epicenter of the outbreak, the government has put an emergency ban of all public gatherings into effect.
If you check out books on Swine Flu, you'll find ... Continue reading at this link for list of books on swine flu, flu in general, epidemics and pandemics in both fiction and nonfiction. [LINK]
La. Governor Bobby Jindal joins a host of other elected officials seeking to assure constituents that they've taken prudent precautions to protect citizens from swine flu. WWL TV New Orleans and other local stations report the following:
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal issued a press conference on Sunday, outlining his plan to protect the state from the flu in the event of an outbreak.
“We are working very hard to get ahead of this virus, as we know we’ve seen it spread in a number of states already. We need to be prepared for our state,” Jindal said.
Jindal said that the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals were notified last week about the flu. The homeland security office has established an action team, and a surveillance team of doctors are spread outside the state to try and identify those who may have the flu.
There are currently 30,000 collection kits around the state given to hospitals to get samples of folks who may have the flu.
Jindal stressed that there are no reported cases in Louisiana. (WWL)
The station's story also chronicles outbreaks beginning in Mexico, considered to be the epicenter of the disease.
Click this link for a Louisiana Fact Sheet with symptoms and check for updates at the Louisiana community health website
In addition, the federal Centers for Disease Control has swine flu facts and information. The site has a podcast by Dr. Joe Bresee telling more about swine flu, including some history, and here's an excerpt from its Swine Flu and You section:
How long can viruses live outside the body? We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.
What can I do to protect myself from getting sick? There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.
What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing? If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.
What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu? Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water. or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. we recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.
What should I do if I get sick? If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.
If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Eating pork is not the cause of Swine Flu as some people think. If it is contracted by humans, it usually starts with people who've come in contact with pigs.
The following videos are from CNN regarding a potential swine flu epidemic or pandemic. The disease is reportedly more difficult to control than Bird Flu.
New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, who spent a few days with his wife under quarantine in China following a Swine Flu close encounter, has been released and is now in Australia. He can rest easy, knowing he did not contract the disease on his flight to Asia, but the world is less secure as flu cases rise.
