Unless you're under a rock, you've probably heard about the threat of swine flu. This disturbing news prompts the questions: What is swine flu and how is it affecting travel?What is swine flu?
The swine flu, known as gripe porcina in Spanish, is a new virus comprised of pieces of viruses that infect swine, humans, and birds. At this point, it seems to be susceptible to the anti-viral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza though health officials fear it may link up with the seasonal H1-N1 flu that is resistant to such treatments. Despite its name, you need not come in direct contact with pigs to get this flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) says you can't get this flu by eating pork. It is transmitted like any other flu, through direct physical contact, dirty doorknobs and keyboards, uncovered coughs, etc.
At this point, the best way to keep yourself from getting the virus is what your mother repeatedly told you: Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or use hand sanitizer (of at least 60 percent alcohol); cover your cough; avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes; get enough sleep, and eat well.
How is it affecting travel?
As of today, swine flu has caused 152 deaths in Mexico and 1,600 people are infected with the respiratory illness in 19 of the 32 Mexican states. In the U.S., 64 cases have been confirmed in New York, Ohio, Kansas, Texas, and California. Two cases have been reported in the province of Valencia, Spain, and one in Israel. Japanese immigration officials aren't granting entry visas to travelers arriving from Mexico and they're quarantining anyone arriving from the U.S. and Canada. The WHO has classified this as a Level 4 pandemic but has not recommended any official travel bans or the shutting of specific borders.
Additionally, many Asian countries are taking a hard line on the outbreak: Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore are using thermal scanners to check passengers arriving from North America for fever. China is requiring anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival to report to the authorities. Russia says passengers arriving from North America who are running a fever can be quarantined until the cause is determined.
The British Foreign Office, the EU,
and the U.S. State Department have urged travelers to avoid
nonessential travel to Mexico at this point. But what if you have a
trip planned to Mexico this week or in the near future? Should you go?
Can you cancel? An MSNBC poll asked
travelers if the outbreak changed their travel plans to Mexico; 37.9
percent say it hasn't, 27.1 say they'll still head to Mexico but avoid
Mexico City, and 34.9 percent believe it's too early to make a
decision.
Traveler contributor Chris Elliott says that the cancellation policies of airlines and hotels in response to this outbreak are all over the map right now. Many airlines, in fact, are waiving their usual penalties for reservation changes. Travelocity, for example, has waived change fees for travel to and from Mexico in coming weeks and links to airlines' policies on its site.
For more information, check out USA Today's thorough Q&A on swine flu including its symptoms, and the New York Times's coverage. At National Geographic News, Maggie Koerth-Baker reports on swine flu facts and myths. Google's swine flu map plots suspected cases around the world in real time.
If you must travel to Mexico right now, stay updated with the Centers for Disease Control and the Mexican Ministry of Health. Before leaving the U.S., be sure your vaccinations are up-to-date (though there is no vaccine for the swine flu; good health in general is a good idea when entering an area in which an outbreak has surfaced), take along a handy health kit, locate local health resources, and be aware that the U.S. embassy cannot administer medicine to you if you become sick in Mexico. In the meantime, as we wait to see how this outbreak develops, let's take a step back, stay informed, wash our hands, and stay calm.
Image: Google's map of the swine flu's spread so far
Traveler contributor Chris Elliott says that the cancellation policies of airlines and hotels in response to this outbreak are all over the map right now. Many airlines, in fact, are waiving their usual penalties for reservation changes. Travelocity, for example, has waived change fees for travel to and from Mexico in coming weeks and links to airlines' policies on its site.
For more information, check out USA Today's thorough Q&A on swine flu including its symptoms, and the New York Times's coverage. At National Geographic News, Maggie Koerth-Baker reports on swine flu facts and myths. Google's swine flu map plots suspected cases around the world in real time.
If you must travel to Mexico right now, stay updated with the Centers for Disease Control and the Mexican Ministry of Health. Before leaving the U.S., be sure your vaccinations are up-to-date (though there is no vaccine for the swine flu; good health in general is a good idea when entering an area in which an outbreak has surfaced), take along a handy health kit, locate local health resources, and be aware that the U.S. embassy cannot administer medicine to you if you become sick in Mexico. In the meantime, as we wait to see how this outbreak develops, let's take a step back, stay informed, wash our hands, and stay calm.
Image: Google's map of the swine flu's spread so far
Subscribe to RSS feed
Subscribe to RSS feed
In 1918:
In large U.S cities, more than 10,000 deaths per week were attributed to the virus. It is estimated that as many as 50% of the population was infected, and ~1% died. To compare, in "normal" (interpandemic) years, it is estimated that between 10-20% of the population is infected, with a .008% mortality.
The fact the current 'swine flu' has shown to be contagious is alarming. So far the virus has shown to have a 6% to 6.3% mortality rate. It may not seem like much, but please consider the following: The deadly influenza panic in 1918 had a mortality rate of under 1%.
This virus went on to kill tens of thousands of healthy people a day in large cities and up to 100 million people world wide.
Viruses, like this strain of swine flu, kill their host by over-stimulating active immune systems that are robust and healthy. That is why the victims in Mexico were between the ages of 20 and 45.
Some have said that no one in the United States have died from the virus, so we need not worry. Experts say it is only a matter of time. The virus is not prevalent enough to reach statistical significance in the United States, with only a handful of confirmed cases. 93.7% of all Mexicans with the virus recovered.
More cause for worry: The 1918 virus started off 'mild' before it mutated into a raging storm. It also does not mean we will see millions of deaths. It is too early to draw sweeping conclusions. Nevertheless, there is potential for a disastrous pandemic. If 50% of Americans catch this flu in the next two years, and the mortality rate stays at 6.3%, we would witness 20+ million deaths.
This strain of virus is more potent and more deadly than the virus that hammered the world in 1918 and 1919. Viruses come in waves. There are striking similarities to this virus and the virus that killed up to 100 million people in 1918. The first wave is historically more mild than the later waves.
In addition to this virus becoming more severe, it is mutating faster than previous virus that we have seen. In addition, this virus is nothing like we have ever seen before because it combines features from viruses natural in different parts of the globe. We are in uncharted territory.
If it follows the same path as the 1918 flu, we will see very damaging results. However, we must remember we are a global society now and the virus can spread quicker than we have ever witnessed in history. This is very concerning especially since the drugs we have now seem resistant.
While there have been no deaths in America, it is shadowed by the fact the common variable among the deaths seem to be age. While most American cases have involved the very young and very old (under 10 and over 50) the Mexican cases that ended fatally involved the robust and healthy (over 20 and under 45).
This virus kills the host by over-stimulating the immune system. The term that is used when the immune system over reacts is called a Cytokine Storm. It is usually fatal. During this “Storm” over 150 inflammatory mediators are released. This would account for the high mortality rate in 1918-19.
http://tinyurl.com/d2te2f
This website http://www.swine-flu-tracker.com/ shows you in real time how quickly swine flu is spreading
we can put the swine perceptive in this way http://www.guardian-silver-health-supplements.com/viral-infections/swine-flu/
Swine flu has completely shaken the whole world. The fact that its outbreak can be Pandemic has created a panic like situation. No doubt it is affecting travel but seeing the severity with which it spreads one needs to take precautionary measures. Prevention is always better than cure.
This is a very interesting subject and needs more attention. From your information is looks like there is no time to prepare medications for a pandemic and if the virus mutates they would be rendered useless anyway.
But why haven't you mentioned the antiviral from a small firm in Phoenix that kills the virus in just hours and isn't rendered useless if the virus mutates. I would think that this would be of interests to everyone. Their web site is http://www.glyco-meds.com where you can read about why their antivirals are so much different than anything from any of the large drug companies.
swine flu is stupid its just like getting a flu dont see why everyone is getting scared of it.
we need to protect our self for all sicknes.