(no subject)
This Swine Flu business is fascinating to me. I've been "tracking" the numbers since Monday.
Monday AM: 7 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Monday PM: 20 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Tuesday AM: 40 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Tuesday PM: 64 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Outside of the US, the numbers also continue to grow. The WHO reported yesterday: "Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths. The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Canada (6), New Zealand (3), the United Kingdom (2), Israel (2) and Spain (2)." That number has most likely increased.
Now, while, to my knowledge, only a handful of people have died -- and only one that I have heard of in the US, I do see a significant growth pattern. And these are just the numbers reported and confirmed by the CDC and the WHO-- not counting the probably larger number of people who cannot afford the laboratory testing or whose doctors don't offer the testing for other reasons.
(Last time I had the flu, the doctor told me that, since I didn't have insurance, we wouldn't "confirm" it was the flu. Rather, just treat it like it was flu. He even offered that, if I wanted to pay for it, he would give me Tamiflu, but that I'd probably be fine without it).
So, I think there's a little hype about this, but I also see the possibility for this to go bad quickly.
What do you all think?
Monday AM: 7 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Monday PM: 20 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Tuesday AM: 40 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Tuesday PM: 64 reported laboratory-confirmed cases in the US
Outside of the US, the numbers also continue to grow. The WHO reported yesterday: "Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths. The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Canada (6), New Zealand (3), the United Kingdom (2), Israel (2) and Spain (2)." That number has most likely increased.
Now, while, to my knowledge, only a handful of people have died -- and only one that I have heard of in the US, I do see a significant growth pattern. And these are just the numbers reported and confirmed by the CDC and the WHO-- not counting the probably larger number of people who cannot afford the laboratory testing or whose doctors don't offer the testing for other reasons.
(Last time I had the flu, the doctor told me that, since I didn't have insurance, we wouldn't "confirm" it was the flu. Rather, just treat it like it was flu. He even offered that, if I wanted to pay for it, he would give me Tamiflu, but that I'd probably be fine without it).
So, I think there's a little hype about this, but I also see the possibility for this to go bad quickly.
What do you all think?