Birdflu Mailing List: Re: Alert !!! "could be the beginning of a new pandemic" RSVP

[Lizz Hutchinson (erhutchinson]

I was in contact on Friday about this with a fellow student who works in
Epidemiology at MN Dept. of Health. She said there should be some good
resources available soon online, so I will forward them along when
I receive them.
Lizz Hutchinson

On Sat, Apr 25, 2009 at 10:39 AM, William Weir <wweir1 [at] gmail.com> wrote:

> Please help assess information about a strain of influenza A so far killing
> 20, mainly young adults 25-44 years old, in Mexico.
>
> See the CBC-TV reports on YouTube, on a new type of swine flu (H1N1) (not
> avian/bird flu H5N1)
> Public Health Agency of Canada has issued an advisory.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D1XOvfe9Ks
>
>
> Consider the US CDC guidance for residents of CA & TX (applicable to anyone
> who has come from MX, TX or CA recently?)
> Summary Guidance
>
> CDC has provided the following interim guidance for this investigation.
>
>   - Residents of California and
> Texas<http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm#residents>
>   - Clinicians <http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm#clinics>
>   - State Public Health
> Laboratories<http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm#labs>
>   - Public Health/Animal
> Health<http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm#pa_health>
>
> Residents of California and Texas
>
> CDC has identified human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection
> in people in these areas. CDC is working with local and state health
> agencies to investigate these cases. We have determined that this virus is
> contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, we
> have not determined how easily the virus spreads between people. As with
> any
> infectious disease, we are recommending precautionary measures for people
> residing in these areas.
>
>   - Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw
>   the tissue in the trash after you use it.
>   - Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough
>   or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
>   - Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
>   - If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school
>   and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
>   - Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
>
> There is no vaccine available at this time, so it is important for people
> living in these areas to take steps to prevent spreading the virus to
> others. If people are ill, they should attempt to stay at home and limit
> contact with others. Healthy residents living in these areas should
> take everyday
> preventive actions <http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm>.
>
> People who live in these areas who develop an illness with fever and
> respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other
> symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, should
> contact their health care provider. Their health care provider will
> determine whether influenza testing is needed.
>
> Copied from http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm#residents
>
> The new system for Global Detection and Warning is working but in this case
> not as quickly as expected.
>
> For more items, I suggest Google on "Swine Flu" 2009.
>
> RSVP with your findings, evaluation and suggestions for helping our
> congregations.
>
> Bill Weir
>
> Committee on Emergency Preparedness
>
> First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis
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>



-- 
Elizabeth Hutchinson
MPH Student
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
School of Public Health
University of Minnesota