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Mexican Flu Update
The death toll in Mexico now at
149, and climbing, with more than 2,000 patients are hospitalized there. Containment
appears unlikely. For a flu to spread this rapidly outside
of the normal
"cold
and flu season"
tells us something about its ferocity. I suspect that we will see multiple
waves of infection, with the worst of them probably being next winter
in the
Northern Hemisphere. Mutations are impossible to predict. The only good news
is that at least in the long term, viruses tend to mutate into less
lethal strains. (The most lethal--a la the Marburg type hemorrhagic
viruses--are so lethal
that the
hosts don't live long enough to pass on the viruses to others. Hence the tendency
for many bugs is to become less virulent. The common cold (acute viral rhinopharyngitis),
it is said, probably started out as a killer, many centuries ago.)
SurvivalBlog Editor at Large Michael
Z. Williamson sent us a link to the first really
practical
article on using N95 masks that I've ever seen, by Tara Smith.
Mentioned a useful CDC background
piece: Antiviral
Drugs and Swine Influenza
Reader Matt J. in Kentucky notes: "Wal-Mart in Louisville, Kentucky is already
out of N95 masks, but the hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe's have 20-packs
readily available (I bought two 20-packs at Lowe's and one 20-pack at Home Depot."
OBTW, Bob at Ready
Made Resources mentioned that sales have been very brisk, and they are
now nearly out N95 masks, despite buying all that their wholesale
suppliers had
on hand. He also mentioned that their inexpensive full
protective suit ensembles are going fast
Here are some of the day's flu headlines:
World closer to swine flu pandemic
Swine
Flu: Five Things You Need
to Know About the Outbreak Thanks to Dave (at Captain
Dave's) for the link
Texas Closes More Schools as Flu Spreads
Obama:
Flu Matter of Concern Not One of Alarm (yet)
Mexico City Now a Zombie City
Call Your Congressman! US Says Not Testing Travelers From Mexico
Swine
Flu Hits Ernst & Young in Times Square, N.J. Department of Health
Confirms Five Probable Cases
Flashback to 1994: CDC to mix avian, human flu viruses in pandemic study
