H1N1 Update and the vaccine.

*credit WHO* http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
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I haven't update the H1N1 situation in my blog for quite some time. I have, however, still been following it. It's rather overwhelming right now with the amount of news, changes in priorities for vaccination and the silly rumours. The important thing is it's just a flu shot, like any flu shot, prepared the same way just targeting one specific flu. The seasonal shots are always a guessing game. Some years they are the right strain, other years... not so much.

I also found out today that I am a priority! Not necessarily a list on which I want to be a priority but heck, I'll take it as I'm important!

h1n1 Update, since it's not in the news much here.

*Credit, WHO*

As of July 3rd, 125 countries, 89,221 cases, (many areas only testing those hospitalized,) and 382 deaths. It's unstoppable now folks. We can only hope that the fall/winter season in the Western Hemisphere is as mild as it is currently in the Southern Hemisphere.

http://www.who.int/en/

A tale of two districts and H1N1 testing. Scotland vs Ontario

I had to read this line over and over again... Yep it says what it says. "Since we're asking that only hospitalized and high risk patients be tested, we expect future reports will show that the provincial case count is growing at a slower rate." Well I feel better with Dr. David Williams, acting chief medical officer of health for Ontario in charge! We can all rest assured now that Ontario's growth rate of H1N1 is bound to go down! whew...

H1N1 Flu, WHO

http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSL968732._CH_.2400

WHO getting close to declaring H1N1 pandemic


11:51am EDT
GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was getting close to declaring a full-blown pandemic caused by the H1N1 virus, which has infected more than 26,500 people in 73 countries.

Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, voiced concern at the sustained spread of the new strain in countries including Australia following major outbreaks in North America. Confirmed community spread in a second region would trigger moving to phase 6 from phase 5 on its 6-level pandemic alert scale.

Fukuda, asked whether there was any doubt that a pandemic was under way, told a weekly teleconference: "We are really getting very close to that."

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay, editing by Andrew Dobbie)

H1N1 Flu update

Credit: www.chinaview.cn

















Credit: WHO

H1N1 flu, world cases as per the WHO.

*Credit WHO*


http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/history_map/InfluenzaAH1N1_maps.html


I posted the earlier map on May 19th, 4 days ago. Since then 2 more countries have cases and the total world number has risen by 2,192. This is far from over.

Wash your hands!

H1N1 flu

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

The World Health Organization site: excellent info.