WHATS CAUSED THIS SUDDEN RISE.

I am getting pig sick of these jokes

myown stop being a Boar.

Spread is increasing fast


THE World Health Organisation (WHO) is poised to declare a global swine flu pandemic despite suggestions by scientists that the H1N1 virus responsible may be no more dangerous than the average annual flu season.

Health officials yesterday confirmed two more cases of swine flu in Britain, bringing the total to 15. A six-year-old Oxfordshire girl who had holidayed in Mexico became the youngest victim, while the second victim was the husband of a woman who contracted the virus after the couple returned from Mexico.

Meanwhile in Scotland, a man who flew from Texas to Prestwick via Birmingham last Thursday was named as a probable victim. All UK victims have so far shown mild flu-like symptoms and are recovering well.

The first case of pigs being infected with the new virus emerged last night when officials in the Canadian province of Alberta said some animals were thought to have been infected by a farm worker who had recently visited Mexico and became ill on his return

This week is expected to escalate the outbreak to a full pandemic level six on its six-point scale because of the continuing spread of swine flu among people who havent been to Mexico. There is concern that the virus may become resistant to drugs.

Dr Michael Ryan, WHO director of global alert and response, yesterday said there was no evidence yet of a sustained spread of the virus outside North America. He added, however, that a pandemic remained imminent. So far, 17 countries have reported 653 cases of H1N1 and 17 Mexicans have died.

Outside Mexico the virus does not appear to be severe, despite a warning last week from Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, that a swine flu pandemic would pose a threat against humanity.

Alan Hay, director of the WHOs World Influenza Centre in Mill Hill, north London, said there are signs the virus is not as virulent as first feared. Experts believe it may be comparable to seasonal flu, which kills up to 12,000 a year in Britain, and 550,000 worldwide.

Hay said: This might not be any more virulent than normal seasonal flu infections. We feel reassured that if this develops into a pandemic it might not be a particularly severe one.

Scientists are encouraged by initial analyses of the DNA sequence of the virus, which has found it lacks the traits that led to the death of nearly 50m people in the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak.

A senior consultant who has been treating swine flu victims said: The way they are talking you would think our culture is collapsing. This time last week we were all incredibly worried because the reports from Mexico were that hospitals were full and people were dying all over the place.

Actually it doesnt seem to be that severe. The symptoms are unpleasant fevers, shivering, aches but no worse than normal seasonal flu. Our patient made a full recovery.

The WHO will upgrade its alert level to phase six if the virus is passed successively between three unrelated people on two continents. This has occurred in Mexico and the US, and there have been two cases of transmission between two unrelated people in the UK. One involved Barry Greatorex, 43, who contracted H1N1 after a 30-minute meeting with a colleague in Leicestershire. As a result, the WHO says it may declare a pandemic in days.

Dr Nikki Shindo, a WHO medical health officer, said the biggest concern was that the virus could mutate and become resistant to Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug. Britain has stockpiled 23m courses of Tamiflu and last week ordered 15m more, but the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, says 98% of existing H1 flu strains were resistant to Tamiflu in the last flu season. Scientists are struggling to understand why this is.

Shindo said: The worst-case scenario is the virus will mutate and become Tamiflu-resistant. The best-case scenario is that it causes only mild illness and continues to respond to Tamiflu.

Swine flu man 'attended concert'


Dawn and Iain Askham caught the virus after honeymooning in Mexico

The Scottish Government said it was aware that a swine flu sufferer attended a concert in Edinburgh days before he was treated for the virus.

Iain Askham, from Polmont near Falkirk, was, along with wife Dawn, the first UK case of swine flu to be identified.

He was among the crowd at the 1,500 capacity Picture House to see rock band Doves on 23 April, two days after he returned from his honeymoon in Mexico.

The Scottish Government said this would not be classed as "close contact".

Mr Askham returned from Cancun on Tuesday 21 April. He attended the concert on the Thursday and visited a doctor about his flu symptoms on Saturday 25 April.

Mr Askham and his wife were taken to Monklands Hospital in North Lanarkshire, where swine flu was confirmed on Monday.

A spokesman said: "In line with Health Protection Scotland guidance, close contacts are followed up whenever any probable or confirmed cases are identified, to offer advice and where appropriate anti-virals.

"We are aware that Mr Askham did attend a concert on 23 April - before he was being treated - but this would not be classed as close contact.

"The risk of spread to others who were around him is low, and it is important to stress that the risk to public health in Scotland remains low."

There are now three confirmed cases of swine flu in Scotland, Mr Askham and his new wife and friend Graeme Pacitti, 24, who lives in nearby Falkirk.

A new probable case is being investigated in the Ayrshire and Arran Health Board area, with no connection to the three confirmed cases.

The man travelled from the US to Birmingham on Monday, and then onto Glasgow airport on Thursday, by which time he was showing symptoms of the virus.

There are also 19 possible cases in Scotland, people showing symptoms and undergoing tests.

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I got an e-mail today saying that you can actually get swine flu from eating tinned pork - im just ignoring it though I think its spam !

Bully [ beef ] for you then, that sounds a bit corny

Don't worry, this is slightly different which can keep drug companies busy. We should just try to be healthy by eating good, emjoying life and keep away from media hypes.

Life goes on despite all the attempt by shorters.

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