Baxter Admits Contaminating 72 Kilos Of Vaccine

On TVN24 in Poland Baxter has admitted they contaminated 72 KG of vaccine material with the live bird flu virus.

As a result of handling this contaminated material in February, 36 people working for the labs Avir and BioTest had to be treated preventatively for the bird flu in hospitals in Austria and the Czech Republic, underlining that their health was threatened by the material in the opinion of medical experts.
Both Avir and BioTest have stated that the final purpose of the contaminated Baxter material was for use in regular seasonal flu vaccines, strongly suggesting the notion it would have been injected into people if it had not been detected by staff at BioTest.

The Times of India reported on March 6th that a global bird flu pandemic had nearly been triggerd by the Baxter material.

Because Baxter is obliged under EU rules to handle the bird flu virus using biosafety level 3 or 4 precautions in its ultra modern biomedical facilities in Austria, an accidental contamination can be virtually ruled out.  No evidence has been presented by Baxter to prove otherwise.

Biosafety level 3 regulations apply to any virus that can cause a serious disease in human beings. The bird flu, a lab engineered virus, has a mortality rate of over 60%. The gigantic amount of 72 kilos of vaccine material was contaminated in Orth an der Donau.

It is not clear why Baxter had the bird flu virus in its vaccine production facilities in Orth an der Donau in the first place.

WHO supplied the bird flu virus to Baxter. For what purpose?

 

Asia Seeks to Stem Contagion as Swine Flu Spreads (Update1) – Bloomberg.com

swine-flu

By Heejin Koo and Hanny Wan

May 2 (Bloomberg) — South Korea confirmed its first case of swine flu one day after a patient in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the disease, as Asian health officials battle to contain a virus that has spread to at least 14 nations on three continents.

“After a period of cell cultivation, we have deemed that the patient has contracted the virus,” Lee Jong Koo, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention told reporters today in Seoul.

South Korea this week raised its alert status, issued a travel “restriction” warning on Mexico, tightened checks on inbound travelers and boosted inspections of pork products. Hong Kong declared a public emergency after confirming its first case yesterday, one day after the World Health Organization said it may soon declare the world’s first influenza pandemic since 1968.

Hong Kong’s first swine flu patient is a man who arrived from Mexico on April 30, Chief Executive Donald Tsang said yesterday, urging the public not to panic. The government said today it moved 12 guests of the Metro Park Hotel, where the man stayed, to a holiday village prepared as a quarantine center.

Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control told 24 people who traveled on the same Shanghai-to-Hong Kong flight and later returned to Taiwan to quarantine themselves until May 7, it said in a statement last night.

Hundreds more cases of swine flu are suspected in New York, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand…

via Asia Seeks to Stem Contagion as Swine Flu Spreads (Update1) – Bloomberg.com.

Seal U.S.-Mexico Border to Prevent Spread of Swine Flu, Says Democratic Homeland Security Committee Member

Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.), Homeland Security Committee member, who has called for closing U.S.-Mexico border to address swine flu problem.

Seal U.S.-Mexico Border to Prevent Spread of Swine Flu, Says Democratic Homeland Security Committee Member

Monday, April 27, 2009

By Penny Starr, Senior Staff Writer

(CNSNews.com) – Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.), member of the House Homeland Security Committee, is calling for the “immediate” and “complete” closure of the U.S. border with Mexico until officials in that country can contain the spread of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu.

“The public needs to be aware of the serious threat of swine flu, and we need to close our borders to Mexico immediately and completely until this is resolved,” Massa said in a statement posted on his congressional Web site. “The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the WHO (World Health Organization) are monitoring this situation closely and I call on all Americans to pay attention and follow their instructions as this situation develops. I have complete faith in our medical professionals and look forward to a swift conclusion to this problem.”

Massa criticized the media for its coverage of the outbreak, which led to U.S. officials declaring it a public health emergency on Sunday.

“I am making this announcement because I see this as a serious threat to the health of the American public and I do not believe this issue is receiving the attention it needs to have in the news,” Massa said.

via CNSNews.com – Seal U.S.-Mexico Border to Prevent Spread of Swine Flu, Says Democratic Homeland Security Committee Member.

Pandemic: What would happen next?

CNN — The world hasn’t seen a pandemic in 41 years, when the “Hong Kong” flu crossed the globe and killed about one million people worldwide. If swine flu reaches pandemic levels, what would happen next?

A man wearing a protective mask reads a newspaper outside a hospital in Mexico City.

1 of 3 more photos »

Recurrent outbreaks of avian Influenza and the outbreak of SARS in 2003 rang alarm bells as potential pandemics.

Although both jumped the “animal-to-human” barrier, neither disease mutated enough to enable sustained human-to-human infection, said Dr. K.Y. Yuen, head of microbiology at Hong Kong University.

Strictly speaking, avian influenza and SARS did not become pandemics because they were too good at killing their hosts.

“For a sustained pandemic, it needs to be able to maintain human-to-human contact without killing its host off,” he said.

Avian influenza “never became a man-to-man disease,” said Dr. Lo Wing-Luk, an infectious disease expert.

“Swine flu is already a man-to-man disease, which makes it much more difficult to manage, and swine flu appears much more infectious than SARS.”

But the World Health Organization cautions that it cannot say whether it will cause a pandemic. According to epidemiologists and health experts, here’s what the world might see if there is another pandemic, based on past experience:

The disease would skip from city to city over an 18- to 24-month period, infecting more than a third of the population. World Health Organization officials believe that as many as 1.5 billion people around the globe would seek medical care, and nearly 30 million would seek hospitalization. Based on the last pandemic and current world population, as many as 7 million people could die, epidemiologists said.

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“Hospitals will become overcrowded; schools will close; businesses will close; airports will be empty,” Lo said.

“Business will become very bad as people avoid as much social contact as possible,” Yuen added.

Health facilities will become overrun with patients, and there would be less-than-adequate staffing as medical health professionals fall ill themselves, experts say.

“We saw cases in SARS where people who should have gone to the hospital for things like cancer treatment didn’t go, and that resulted in higher deaths,” Lo said.

The very young and very old will probably be the most susceptible to the illness.

Experts caution that much is still unknown about the current swine flu virus and its severity and that it is too early to say whether it will lead to a pandemic. Right now, the focus is on finding answers and containing the spread.

via http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/27/pandemic.next/index.html

Mexican Immigration Officials Required to Wear Anti-Flu Face Masks at U.S.-Mexico Border Crossings

Mexican Immigration officials, wearing surgical masks, work at the US-Mexico border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, April 27, 2009. (AP photo)

Mexican Immigration Officials Required to Wear Anti-Flu Face Masks at U.S.-Mexico Border Crossings

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

By Edwin Mora

(CNSNews.com) – Mexican immigration officials on the U.S.-Mexican border say they have been required to wear face masks whether swine influenza poses a threat or not.

Meanwhile, on the U.S. side of the border, it is up to the discretion of Customs and Border Protection officials whether to wear masks to protect themselves against the flu.

via CNSNews.com – Mexican Immigration Officials Required to Wear Anti-Flu Face Masks at U.S.-Mexico Border Crossings.

Call It ‘North American Flu,’ Meat Industry Says

Call It ‘North American Flu,’ Meat Industry Says

Call It ‘North American Flu,’ Meat Industry Says

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

By Susan Jones, Senior Editor

(AP Photo)

(CNSNews.com) – Don’t call it “swine flu,” says the American Meat Institute. A more accurate name for the headline illness is “North American flu,” and that’s what the media should be calling it, the group argues.

“According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), North American Flu is a more accurate description of the virus that has affected people in North America,” said American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle.

Boyle quoted from an OIE press release, which read: “The virus has not been isolated in animals to date. Therefore, it is not justified to name this disease swine influenza. In the past, many human influenza epidemics with animal origin have been named using their geographic name, e.g. Spanish influenza or Asiatic influenza, thus it would be logical to call this disease ‘North-American influenza.’”

Boyle stressed that eating pork is safe…

via CNSNews.com – Call It ‘North American Flu,’ Meat Industry Says.

SWINE FLU – Ask the experts – Part 5 – The CDC

queen-gorgo-300-leonidas-wife (Lena Headey)

In the movie 300, in the ultimate act of sacrifice for her husband and king, Queen Gorgo gives herself to the slimy politician Theron.  As he assaults her, he says:

Theron: [before raping Queen Gorgo] This will not be over quickly. You will not enjoy this. I’m not your King.

Later, realizing that Theron has betrayed her, Queen Gorgo thrusts a sword deeply into his belly, and says:

Queen Gorgo: [having stabbed Theron and while holding sword into his body] This will not be over quickly. You will not enjoy this. I am not your Queen.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH SWINE FLU?

I am going to bring you the opinions of the experts on Swine flu.  You will find that there are many conflicting reports, the same words can be construed in many different ways and in the end, much of it you will definitely not enjoy.  In the end, when you have read all of the expert’s opinions, you will most likely be more confused than when you started.  As for her not being “my” Queen…well, a man can dream.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

OPINION #5 – The CDC

Swine Influenza (Flu)

Swine Flu website last updated April 27, 2009 1:00 PM ET

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 27, 2009 1:00 PM ET)

State	# of laboratory confirmed cases
California	7 cases
Kansas	2 cases
New York City	28 cases
Ohio	1 case
Texas	2 cases
TOTAL COUNT	40 cases
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection See: World Health Organization

Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been identified in the United States. Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection also have been identified internationally. The current U.S. case count is provided below.

An investigation and response effort surrounding the outbreak of swine flu is ongoing.

CDC is working very closely with officials in states where human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) have been identified, as well as with health officials in Mexico, Canada and the World Health Organization. This includes deploying staff domestically and internationally to provide guidance and technical support.

CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the agency’s response to this emerging health threat and yesterday the Secretary of the Department Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, declared a public health emergency in the United States. This will allow funds to be released to support the public health response. CDC’s goals during this public health emergency are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to assist health care providers, public health officials and the public in addressing the challenges posed by this newly identified influenza virus. To this end, CDC has issued a number of interim guidance documents in the past 24 hours. In addition, CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is releasing one-quarter of its antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to help states respond to the outbreak. Laboratory testing has found the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.

Swine Flu Pandemic update articles and Pandemic info

PANDEMIC, INFLUENZA, H5N1 (Avian Flu), Swine Influenza 101

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/pandemic-influenza-h5n1-avian-flu-swine-influenza/

SWINE FLU UPDATE 04/27/09
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/swine-flu-update-042709/

Doctors sound alarm on pig flu
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/doctors-sound-alarm-on-pig-flu/

SWINE FLU WATCH – 04/26/09 9:50 PM EST
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/swine-flu-watch-042609-950-pm-est/

SWINE FLU WATCH & PICS
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/swine-flu-watch/

PANDEMIC, INFLUENZA, H5N1 (Avian Flu), Swine Influenza

PANDEMIC

A pandemic (from Greek παν pan all + δήμος demos people) is an epidemic of infectious disease that spreads through populations across a large region; for instance a continent, or even worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a pandemic can start when three conditions have been met:^[1]

• Emergence of a disease new to a population.
  

• Agents infect humans, causing serious illness.
• Agents spread easily and sustainably among humans.

A disease or condition is not a pandemic merely because it is widespread or kills many people; it must also be infectious. For instance, cancer is responsible for many deaths but is not considered a pandemic, because the disease is not infectious or contagious.

swine, avian flu influenza, h1n1, h5n1

Influenza

Main article: Influenza pandemic

• First pandemic 1510. Traveled from Africa and spread across Europe.^[24][25]
• The “Asiatic Flu“, 1889-1890. Was first reported in May of 1889 in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. By October, it had reached Tomsk and the Caucasus. It rapidly spread west and hit North America in December 1889, South America in February-April 1890, India in February-March 1890, and Australia in March-April 1890. It was purportedly caused by the H2N8 type of flu virus, and had a very high attack and mortality rate.
• The “Spanish flu“, 1918-1919. First identified early in March 1918 in US troops training at Camp Funston, Kansas. By October 1918, it had spread to become a world-wide pandemic on all continents, and eventually infected 2.5 to 5% of the human population, with 20% or more of the world population suffering from the disease to some extent. Unusually deadly and virulent, it ended nearly as quickly as it began, vanishing completely within 18 months. In six months, some 50 million were dead;^[26] some estimates put the total of those killed worldwide at over twice that number.^[27] An estimated 17 million died in India, 675,000 in the United States^[28] and 200,000 in the UK. The virus was recently reconstructed by scientists at the CDC studying remains preserved by the Alaskan permafrost. They identified it as a type of H1N1 virus.^{[citation needed]}
• The “Asian Flu“, 1957-58. An H2N2 caused about 70,000 deaths in the United States. First identified in China in late February 1957, the Asian flu spread to the United States by June 1957.
• The “Hong Kong Flu“, 1968-69. An H3N2 caused about 34,000 deaths in the United States. This virus was first detected in Hong Kong in early 1968, and spread to the United States later that year. Influenza A (H3N2) viruses still circulate today.

H5N1 (Avian Flu)

Main article: H5N1

In February 2004, avian influenza virus was detected in birds in Vietnam, increasing fears of the emergence of new variant strains. It is feared that if the avian influenza virus combines with a human influenza virus (in a bird or a human), the new subtype created could be both highly contagious and highly lethal in humans. Such a subtype could cause a global influenza pandemic, similar to the Spanish Flu, or the lower mortality pandemics such as the Asian Flu and the Hong Kong Flu.

From October 2004 to February 2005, some 3,700 test kits of the 1957 Asian Flu virus were accidentally spread around the world from a lab in the US.^[78]

In May 2005, scientists urgently call nations to prepare for a global influenza pandemic that could strike as much as 20% of the world’s population.^[79]

In October 2005, cases of the avian flu (the deadly strain H5N1) were identified in Turkey. EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said: “We have received now confirmation that the virus found in Turkey is an avian flu H5N1 virus. There is a direct relationship with viruses found in Russia, Mongolia and China.” Cases of bird flu were also identified shortly thereafter in Romania, and then Greece. Possible cases of the virus have also been found in Croatia, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom.^[80]

By November 2007, numerous confirmed cases of the H5N1 strain had been identified across Europe ^[81]. However, by the end of October only 59 people had died as a result of H5N1 which was atypical of previous influenza pandemics.

Avian flu cannot yet be categorized as a “pandemic”, because the virus cannot yet cause sustained and efficient human-to-human transmission. Cases so far are recognized to have been transmitted from bird to human, but as of December 2006 there have been very few (if any) cases of proven human-to-human transmission. Regular influenza viruses establish infection by attaching to receptors in the throat and lungs, but the avian influenza virus can only attach to receptors located deep in the lungs of humans, requiring close, prolonged contact with infected patients, and thus limiting person-to-person transmission. The current WHO phase of pandemic alert is level 3, described as “no or very limited human-to-human transmission”, according to the WHO website.

H1N1 (Swine Flu)

Main article: Swine Influenza

With the 2009 outbreak of Swine Influenza A (H1N1), there is a fear that it possesses pandemic potential.

SWINE FLU UPDATE 04/27/09
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/swine-flu-update-042709/

Doctors sound alarm on pig flu
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/doctors-sound-alarm-on-pig-flu/

SWINE FLU WATCH – 04/26/09 9:50 PM EST
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/swine-flu-watch-042609-950-pm-est/

SWINE FLU WATCH & PICS
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/swine-flu-watch/

Doctors sound alarm on pig flu

swine flu?

Doctors sound alarm on pig flu

• Julia Medew
• April 27, 2009

AUSTRALIANS have been urged to look out for symptoms of a deadly swine flu that appears to have spread from Mexico to New Zealand, France and the US, sparking fears of a major pandemic.

Australia’s chief medical officer Jim Bishop briefed hospital emergency departments and GPs on the flu’s symptoms at the weekend after the World Health Organisation warned it was a “public health emergency of international concern”…

via http://www.theage.com.au/national/doctors-sound-alarm-on-pig-flu-20090426-ajeg.html