And there we have it, the pig flu.

[Caliostro]

For the unaware - Click. [http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/peter_wedderburn/blog/2009/04/27/swine_flu__why_is_a_mild_pig_disease_dangerous_to_humans]

I have to admit, I'm worried.

Last year, in Biology we watched a documentary about H5N1 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H5n1], commonly known as the bird flu, and the possibility of a catastrophic pandemic a slight mutation, a human-contagious H5N2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H5N2], could cause... The scenarios they ran, even the optimistic one, were not very good...

As the more biology-knowledgeable amongst you will know, virus mutations are highly erratic and unpredictable... And it seems the jump finally happened, not with birds, but with pigs.

Now, part of the problem in bird flu was the fact birds fly, carrying the virus with them, and at least for that part we're safe, fortunately pigs can't fly... However the other part was the fact this strain of flu does not present symptoms at first, but it remains highly contagious... And from this much we're not safe...

Thoughts?

PS: For the record, I'm highly against panic-mongering... But I honestly think we should take this very seriously...

Edit: ...Balls... I swear that other thread wasn't there when I was writing this... Search turned up nothing :/ Oh well, close this if you want. My bad.

 

[The_Prophet]

well, I don't really care.
If the disease comes to Serbia, it came... fuck. If it doesn't... great.

But, It seems that even the diseases have forgotten about us

 

[Abedeus]

well, I don't really care.
If the disease comes to Serbia, it came... fuck. If it doesn't... great.

But, It seems that even the diseases have forgotten about us

Yeah, those diseases tend to ignore post communistic countries like Poland, Serbia, Montenegro and so on. Wonder why xd

 

[ssgt splatter]

I'll worry about the swine flu when it's time to worry about it, i.e. when we have confirmed deaths here in the U.S. and as of last night there weren't any.

 

[BonsaiK]

The mondo human-destroying superbug of death is simply not going to happen. Ever. Sadly.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

Swine flu is just a name like Spanish flu (which didn't come from Spain and wasn't spread purely by Spanish people)...

 

[Nickflip]

I'll be worried when this spreads to the bacon I'm eating.

 

[yeah_so_no]

I'll worry about the swine flu when it's time to worry about it, i.e. when we have confirmed deaths here in the U.S. and as of last night there weren't any.

Yeah. So far, the majority of the people, IIRC, who died in Mexico, while in the upsetting 20-40 range (in line with the Spanish flu, which was also H1N1), happened in people who didn't go to the doctor until it was too late. People are going to the doctors sooner, and it can be treated with Tamiflu (and one other thing, I'm blanking).

This isn't to say people shouldn't worry--it's fatal in the 20-40 range, hitting those with good immune systems worse because their immune systems go into overdrive, and you pretty much drown because of fluid in your lungs your own body produces. But there's treatment available as long as people go to the doctors quickly.

fortunately pigs can't fly...

Well, not until FOX News admits they have a massive bias and Jack Thompson admits he's full of shit, anyway.

well, I don't really care.
If the disease comes to Serbia, it came... fuck. If it doesn't... great.

But, It seems that even the diseases have forgotten about us

What is "Serbia?"
Some kind of hip new restaurant?

...Are you serious?

It's a country in Europe.

 

[Rivana]

I'll be worried when this spreads to the bacon I'm eating.

Mmmm, i love bacon. I think I'll have some bacon for lunch.

 

[InProgress]

The only way I think the swine flu is going to affect my country is with an increase in price for pork. Though it is worse than the bird flu since pigs are more akin to humans than birds.

 

[Abedeus]

I'll be worried when this spreads to the bacon I'm eating.

Mmmm, i love bacon. I think I'll have some bacon for lunch.

Don't worry, there are no viruses in the meat. Even if they are, they will just like other flus - heat it and it's gone.

 

[Simriel]

Yeah Umm... I bet not a single member of The Escapist even contracts this virus never mind dies from it.

 

[Flying Dagger]

it's more dangerous then bird flu because we can't trap pigs in cages with foot high fences... oh wait.

 

[CosmicGrenade]

This strain thats killing people in Mexico is the H1N1 (the one that caused the 1918 world wide one, which killed more people the both wars put together) which is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis.

But this one is different it can affect humans, birds and swine.

Also pigs might not be able to fly but humans do.

History tells us that there are global epidemics every 30 to 50 years

FLU PANDEMICS (Last 100 Years)
1918: The Spanish flu pandemic remains the most devastating outbreak of modern times. Caused by a form of the H1N1 strain of flu, it is estimated that up to 40% of the world's population were infected, and more than 50 million people died, with young adults particularly badly affected.

1957: Asian flu killed two million people. Caused by a human form of the virus, H2N2, combining with a mutated strain found in wild ducks. The impact of the pandemic was minimised by rapid action by health authorities, who identified the virus, and made vaccine available speedily. The elderly were particularly vulnerable.

1968: An outbreak first detected in Hong Kong, and caused by a strain known as H3N2, killed up to one million people globally, with those over 65 most likely to die.

but there is an upside (if ya can call it that) because of the bird flu goverments have been stockpiling more anti-viral drugs, which are not a vaccine but would lessen some of the symptoms.

Me i'm just gonna sit back and wait and see what happens (lets hope computers don't start getting the flu)

 

[CosmicGrenade]

Swine flu is just a name like Spanish flu (which didn't come from Spain and wasn't spread purely by Spanish people)...

no swine flu is a flu that swine get

 

[Kirra]

The last time i was sick was 3 years ago so i doubt swine flu (That name makes me giggle for some reason) is any threat to me.

 

[Mardy]

It's just another reason for people to chant about the end of humanity, like always.

 

[Rivana]

I'll be worried when this spreads to the bacon I'm eating.

Mmmm, i love bacon. I think I'll have some bacon for lunch.

Don't worry, there are no viruses in the meat. Even if they are, they will just like other flus - heat it and it's gone.

Thats good, I had sausage for breakfast haha.