mmmm on the point of mosquitoes, be careful if you got too many bites. You might have the Dengue Hemorrhage Fever or Malaria, if I am not mistaken. Flu doesn't have to do anything with Mosquitoes and vice versa.

Keep in mind that with influenza, people don't (generally) die from the virus itself. They either develop pneumonia (older/very young people who get it, hence the usual deaths from flu each year), or their own immune systems go haywire trying to fight the virus and they die from that. (The latter is likely what caused all the deaths in 1918.)

So if this develops into a strain similar to that of 1918, the trick will be to either develop a vaccine to prevent people from getting it at all -- or to figure out how to stop people's bodies killing them when they do get it. That's what will kill someone in that young adult range. They have the strongest immune systems.

edit:

My friends won't stop talking about it. Mostly because her great grandmother died of it in 1918 when her grandmother was a baby. I know it's something to be concerned about, but she's driving me nuts.

Though even without her influence, I'm still somewhat concerned with to international travel. With all these airports and such around the world, a pandemic which would have taken months or years to travel to different countries is now traveling across the globe in days--hours even.

But thinking optimistically here, this may all be spreading quickly, but at least we have the technology and medical advances to battle it where as in 1918 we had almost nothing. So with that and good sanitation habits, I think the infection and death rates will be significantly lower then all the other outbreaks in the past. I don't think there's any need for any real panic or paranoia, just a little caution and the intelligence to wash your hands every now and then and cover your mouth when you need to sneeze or cough.

@Stardale: The possible diseases spread by mosquitoes would depend on where you live. Here, West Nile is the main concern, not malaria or dengue hemorrhage fever.

Okay Swine Flu is at Phase 5 now. ._.

Omg -_- phase 5 =_= at this time in poland we don't have sacrifice and I hope it will be next ok. I really worry about Mexician People...

Hey, for those posting news items, please post your sources kay?

Ok then :

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Swine-f ... qqTDX8ig9opCm2xAXj.AazJV4

From Yahoo's Front Page.

Edit : Here is the one about the rise to Phase 5.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/ ... andemic-threat-level-five

Here is 5 reasonds to not panic

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineFlu/story?id=7443116&page=1

Well apparently we aren't supposed to refer to it as Swine Flu anymore as to not hurt the pork industry. We're suppose to refer to it by its scientific name, H1N1 influenza A.

It's really nice for WHO to changed the name, I feel calling it Swine flu makes the pigs sad. , I don't know, I just feel their pain.

i was expecting something like that to happen to pigs eventually because i thought the same thing when i first heard of it.

I personally don't get the big deal with the name. i rather call it swine cuz it's funny name (and easier to say).

Sides, the names probably gonna stick since that's what everyone thinks of now. Not this H1n1 business.

hmm well when I was watching the news it first appeared as an "Alert" but now it's all over the news. And trust me I do not watch the news too much. My school isn't taking Swine Flu too seriously. I hope everyone here remains healthy and safe. Hopefully this flu epidemic will end soon enough.

Hmm... This latest pandemic concerns me a lot.

I would prefer people referring it as H1N1. So that they know (more or less) it's an influenza virus... giving one who's infected an influenza-like illness. And stop blaming the pigs. -_-

@KTC
Me either, but some people just can't grasp that the Swine flu has nothing to do with pigs.

@bemused: how so? H1N1 looks like molecules to me. 1 hydrogen + 1 nitrogen= NH(2-)= not a happy molecule
;P

I don't claim to know much about swine flu, but in my area one school was closed and I myself am out of school for today.

I've heard that it's already coming up to the middle states in the US. Frankly, I'm terrified. I live in Kansas, and if it's traveling as fast as it seems, it'll be up here in no time. My mom keeps telling me that people are blowing it out of proportion, but I still can't help but wonder...

Please everyone, stay safe.

And my opinion on it's name? I'll stick with Swine Flu, thanks. No one's likely to start calling it N1H1. And I'm not dissing the pig. Pigs are awesome, along with all other animals.

Yes pigs are cute and intelligent, And I hope that you will be ok.Take care and be careful, Don't worry,You will stay safe.


And in poland again person from travel from Mexico is in hospital with probably Swine Flu, I hope that all will be ok In all the world..

The fact that it makes pigs 'sound bad' almost made me laugh. In school I'm always saying things like 'pigs are people too'. The name swine flu will stick. It has already become to public to be known as H1N1 influenza. =/

The fact that it makes pigs 'sound bad' almost made me laugh. In school I'm always saying things like 'pigs are people too'. The name swine flu will stick. It has already become too public to be known as H1N1 influenza. =/