Swine Flu: it’s Scottish!
Don’t panic!
But Bird Flu has touched down in the UK, with a couple from Lanarkshire bringing back the virus from Mexico:
Scots swine flu cases confirmed
Two people admitted to a Scottish hospital after returning from Mexico have been confirmed as the first British cases of swine flu.
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said both patients, a man and a woman, were recovering well.
She said seven other people who had been in contact with them were now displaying mild symptoms.
It’ll be very interesting to see how this entire situation develops – on the one hand, flu edpidemics, if they develop, can become serious global killers.
However, the world has supposedly been prepared for a flu mutation for decades now, and the current swine flu outbreak is reported to be susceptible to anti-viral treatments.
One thing that strikes me, though – the UK government has made a point of posturing that there is a massive 33 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza. But that’s only enough to treat half the population. In the event of a real epidemic, would that really be enough?
In the meantime, let’s see whether UN procedures for containment have any sort of effect in containing this.
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2 Responses to “Swine Flu: it’s Scottish!”
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I have to question the way that they handle such things.
As a frequent flyer I have noticed a significant rise in flu strains I have caught on airplanes since the ban on smoking on planes.
I have spoken to many people on this subject and the best explanation came from an Emirates engineer who pointed out that since the smoking ban on planes they depend more on circulated air and do not open certain flaps that draw air from outside.
How true this is, or not, I do not know.
What I do know is that I get more cases of the flu on long haul flights than anywhere else.
So to the point, on sky news I see all the hype about a couple from Scotland and the bid to track down 20 people whit whom they have came in contact with, what about the couple of hundred other people on the plane who were breathing in all the circulated air for hours on end who is tracing them?
It’s an interesting comment – I also wonder about local variations.
I’ve noticed that ever since we came to the Highlands we seem to suffer colds far more frequently. We’re often feeling drained and sniffly.
I’ve wondered whether that’s because of local virus mutations we’re not used to, so our immune systems have a lot more catching up to do.
However, perhaps it’s also an issue of weather and sunlight – I’ve never paid much attention to the issue of SAD before (Seasonablly Affective Disorder), but this winter I’ve especially felt drained throughout.
I don’t live the best lifestyle, though – perhaps that plays a larger part than I’d normally credit.
However, it would still be interesting if local mutations in common viruses such as behind the common cold are a reality.
2c.