Wednesday, August 12, 2009

H1N1 Pandemic - Startling Facts

It has a similarity with the "Spanish Flu" of 1918 that killed 50 to 100
million people worldwide. Unlike Common Influenza types and sub-types, the
elderly people seem most resistant.

Now, I am going very cautious on this, as it is still early to say, but I am
following the trends.


Check the following from wikipedia:

"The 1918 flu caused an unusual number of deaths, possibly due to it causing
a cytokine storm in the body.[5][6] (The current H5N1 bird flu, also an
Influenza A virus, has a similar effect.)[7]

The Spanish flu virus infected lung cells, leading to overstimulation of the
immune system via release of cytokines into the lung tissue. This leads to
extensive leukocyte migration towards the lungs, causing destruction of lung
tissue and secretion of liquid into the organ. This makes it difficult for
the patient to breathe.

In contrast to other pandemics, which mostly kill the
old and the very young, the 1918 pandemic killed unusual numbers of young
adults, which may have been due to their healthy immune systems being able to
mount a very strong and damaging response to the infection."

Yeah, check out the last para.

More startling news from source : www.h1n1data.com

"Average Daily Infection Rate:
20.21% per day
*Average Mortality Rate:
1.43%

Number of U.S. hospital beds:
945,199

Projected number of cases in 30 days:
1,324,150

**Percentage of cases requiring hospitalization:
5.4%
(9-10% per WHO)"

My take: An influenza is termed pandemic only when it has crossed the 0.01%
mortality. Or is it 0.05%, I'll have to check again.

Anyway,
H1N1 has crossed 1% Mortality Rate and in some countries, even close to 5%.
I think H1N1 is far,far more lethal than H5N1 (Bird Flu) , and will wax and
wane, but IS THE GREATEST PANDEMIC TO HIT US SINCE 1918.

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