US Government Launches www.pandemicflu.gov Website

April 29, 2009, at 1:43 pm, as of the latest updates on the (Centers for Disease Control) CDC website cases of Swine Flu in this country have almost double since 7:30 this morning. At this point in time, the following states have confirmed cases of Swine Flu, per the CDC: Arizona (1), California (14), Indiana (1), Kansas (2), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (2), Nevada (1), New York City (51), Ohio (1), Texas (16).

The total number of people in the US confirmed as having Swine Flu by lab stand at 91. This is now one confirmed death in Texas, that of a 23 month-old. Being that there has been a death in the US, the severity of the illness that is associated with the virus is beginning to be seen. The CDC states that more hospitalizations and deaths can be expected from the Swine Flu in the days and weeks to come.

The CDC has opened now opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC allows the CDC to stay on top of the world's health situation from the International to the local level. The EOC is staffed around the clock and serves the hub for all contact for the reporting of public health threats. It supports the Department of Health of Human Services (HHS) Secretary's Operations Center.

The United States government now has a new website that you should be utilizing in order to get your primary updates from on the flu, which is now beginning to be referred to as H1N1. The website that you need to go to is: www.pandemicflu.gov . Please note a pandemic has not yet been declared.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the world remains at Phase 4 which is an alert phase, of a pandemic time line. The first three phases on the pandemic time line are basically animal transmission a couple of transmissions. It is a time to prepare, educate the public and move needed supplies to areas that may need medication and resource.

Phase 4 of the pandemic time line occurs when there is laboratory verified human-to-human transmission of influenza or disease that can cause "community levels of outbreaks". It does mean that the number of cases world wide are growing. It is indicative that it is more likely that a pandemic will occur. However, it is not a forgone conclusion that a pandemic is inevitable. Just because the US government has launched its www.pandemicflu.gov website does not mean at the time of this writing that a pandemic has been declared. This writer has verified this information with WHO, the CDC, the EOC, and Homeland Security.

The following countries other than Mexico have reported cases of H1N1, according to WHO: Austria (1), Canada (13), Germany (3), Israel (2), New Zealand (3), Spain (4) and the United Kingdom (5). Only Mexico has confirmed deaths.

The most important thing at this time is to remain calm and become educated.

If you become ill and show signs of a high fever of approximately 102 F. degrees, have a runny nose, sneezing, or coughing call your physician or the emergency room. DO NOT GO THERE. Await directions as to what you need to do. From personal experience, one family member became acutely ill and it still has yet to be determined if it is tonsillitis or mononucleosis. Had he not obeyed the directives of the emergency room personal, he could have become exposed to Swine Flu victims unnecessarily.

If you are coughing, "catch your cough" this is done by coughing into your elbow. The flu is spread through respiratory (droplets) secretions. Surfaces near you may have become contaminated so good hand-washing practices are always appropriate. Do not go to school or work if you feel ill. Employers be understanding that these are strange times in which we live.

Sources:
CDC.gov
WHO.org
Pandemicflu.gov
dhs.gov
EOC (available through link at CDC)