Deadly flu strain hitting certain areas!

Guys not to scare anyone but thought this needed to be shared


http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/...erious-complications-20140210,0,4183855.story

So far this is in PA not nation wide. TAKE CARE PA PEEPS!

Blue_Dolphin308 said:

Guys not to scare anyone but thought this needed to be shared


http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/...erious-complications-20140210,0,4183855.story

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The flu clinics opened here in early November and there were no line-ups like we saw in previous years. It was a fairly routine process that took about 10-15 minutes in total. Over the Christmas holidays, 10+ people died from the H1N1 virus. When the clinics opened after Christmas, the line-ups were hours long. Eventually, they ran out of the vaccine. It was like people didn't worry about it because it wasn't a new flu virus, or they assumed that people only died from the flu if they had a secondary condition.

Another thing we're seeing here is an increase in measles, including people that were previously vaccinated getting the measles. The other unusual factor is that the measles cases are in the population that is most affluent.

CHERIE.T said:

So far this is in PA not nation wide. TAKE CARE PA PEEPS!

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Actually, this is worldwide. H1N1 is the predominant strain circulating this year. This area of PA is seeing a spike in cases, but it's everywhere.

Sigh Sister said:

Actually, this is worldwide. H1N1 is the predominant strain circulating this year. This area of PA is seeing a spike in cases, but it's everywhere.

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There was another recorded case in North America of the H1N1 transmitting, or being spread from, a human to a cat. Any idea where the first case of human to cat transmission of H1N1 virus occurred? Apparently two of three family pet cats died so an autopsy was done on the second ... turned out to be human transmitted H1N1 to a cat ... and the cats dropped dead.

H1N1 is swine flu, and H5N1 is bird flu. The cats died likely died of human transmitted H1N1, although a direct link has not been made.

"The flu strain has been reported sporadically in cats, ferrets and dogs in other countries, but this is the first time a case has been confirmed in a feline in Canada. ... If the cat got sick after the Christmas break, with people in and out, we assumed that it probably was a human-to-cat transmission. ... The strain of H1N1 in cats was first reported in 2009 when the outbreak initially occurred.

Although there’s a vaccine against H1N1 in swine, there’s no similar inoculation for domestic animals such as cats and dogs."

http://m.torontosun.com/2014/02/07/...-diagnose-first-case-of-feline-h1n1-in-canada

It sounds like there could be transmission of the virus between humans and cats, and potentially dogs, pigs, and ferrets, but there is only a vaccine for humans and pigs. If cats, dogs and ferrets are susceptible to transmission of the virus from humans, couldn't the virus mutate and adapt to a new host, like animal to human? What role do the cats in 2009 play in this?

FWIW
I contracted H1N1 in 2009 and barely lived to tell the tale. I was in the hospital for four days. It took me weeks (maybe six) to recover from there. My chest felt as if it was hollow - no lungs, no heart, nothing. And, I was a 40-year-old competitive rower. So, so awful.

otto said:

The flu clinics opened here in early November and there were no line-ups like we saw in previous years. It was a fairly routine process that took about 10-15 minutes in total. Over the Christmas holidays, 10+ people died from the H1N1 virus. When the clinics opened after Christmas, the line-ups were hours long. Eventually, they ran out of the vaccine. It was like people didn't worry about it because it wasn't a new flu virus, or they assumed that people only died from the flu if they had a secondary condition.

Another thing we're seeing here is an increase in measles, including people that were previously vaccinated getting the measles. The other unusual factor is that the measles cases are in the population that is most affluent.

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I am from Calgary, Alberta Canada and we had the exact thing happen here with the flu shot. My husband and I did not even get a vaccine because they ran out here as well. The remaining doses are being kept for children and elderly I believe. This is definitely scary and serious

CHERIE.T said:

So far this is in PA not nation wide. TAKE CARE PA PEEPS!

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Actually no, its not. In fact CNN has a story posted here

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/11/health/flu-miscarriage-death/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Where Leslie Creekmore was hospitalized at Barnes Jewish hospital, there were several people in the ICU with this same exact flu.

Its all over the country..

The University of Calgary veterinary school has diagnosed a fatal case of H1N1 in a domestic cat.

The cat was one of two that died in a Calgary household.

These are believed to be the first feline cases of pH1N1-09 in Canada, the university said in a release.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...firmed-by-calgary-veterinary-school-1.2527610

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...accine-for-outbreaks-small-children-1.2498226

Alberta Health Services has a supply of less than 30,000 flu shots left.

The remaining vaccine will be used for outbreaks and for kids under nine who need a second dose of the vaccine, wrote Alberta Health issues manager Timothy Wilson

“More Albertans have been immunized this influenza season than any other regular flu season, making it the first time demand has outstripped supply,” wrote Wilson.

otto said:

Another thing we're seeing here is an increase in measles, including people that were previously vaccinated getting the measles. The other unusual factor is that the measles cases are in the population that is most affluent.

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Vaccines don't last forever- that's why we're supposed to get boosters of certain ones on a regular basis.

The reason it's the most common among the affluent, is because that's the population that does the least vaccinating. And while those who are vaccinated can get it (no vaccine is 100%, and over time, as I mentioned, the protection decreases) those who were vaccinated generally get a milder, less life threatening case.

In California, the last number of deaths I saw was 202, and that doesn't include people over 65 or cases still under investigation.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-flu-pertussis-california-20140207,0,2505450.story

CHERIE.T said:

So far this is in PA not nation wide. TAKE CARE PA PEEPS!

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it's everywhere, I think.

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20140107/NEWS01/301070023/Flu-kills-young-adult-woman-Melbourne

http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...icles/cfn/2014/1/20/florida_flu_epidemic.html

otto said:

Another thing we're seeing here is an increase in measles, including people that were previously vaccinated getting the measles. The other unusual factor is that the measles cases are in the population that is most affluent.

Click to expand...

Wolfie said:

Vaccines don't last forever- that's why we're supposed to get boosters of certain ones on a regular basis.

The reason it's the most common among the affluent, is because that's the population that does the least vaccinating. And while those who are vaccinated can get it (no vaccine is 100%, and over time, as I mentioned, the protection decreases) those who were vaccinated generally get a milder, less life threatening case.

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When I started my job at a hospital the Occupational Health and Safety wanted my Immunization records from childhood.

I gave them the record it but it was so old and warn that we couldn't read everything ..the decision was made to do blood work to check for immunity..

Result was that I no longer had immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella so they had to give me the MMR vaccine again

MamaJoJo said:

FWIW
I contracted H1N1 in 2009 and barely lived to tell the tale. I was in the hospital for four days. It took me weeks (maybe six) to recover from there. My chest felt as if it was hollow - no lungs, no heart, nothing. And, I was a 40-year-old competitive rower. So, so awful.

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Cool about being a competitive rower! My son is too, although he is not in full 6 hours/day training right now because of his studies. It sounds like you're lucky that you were in such great shape before you got sick.

My BFF's brother in law passed away last week from this, in So Wisconsin. Was sick with this virus, then died in his sleep. Mid 40's. Very unexpected.