swine flu arrives in asia – infected mexican in hong kong

Asia Reports First Case of Swine Flu in Hong Kong

By KEITH BRADSHER and SHARON OTTERMAN

HONG KONG — Hong Kong reported Asia’s first case of the steadily spreading swine flu virus on Friday, confirming it in a Mexican man who arrived here via Shanghai, authorities said.

The arrival of a traveler with an infectious respiratory disease at a Hong Kong hospital re-awoke memories of SARS, the severe acute respiratory syndrome that arrived in the territory six years ago, and raised concerns that the virus may have been introduced to mainland China, although the man did not leave the airport while in Shanghai. Flu experts have warned that it would be harder to manage the disease if it becomes established in Asia’s densely populated countries.

read in full here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/02/health/02flu.html?ref=asia

  

 

 

links to get information on swine flu and  how to protect yourself and your family here: http://tinyurl.com/ckmtk4

info on swine flu and what you can do to protect yourself

swine flu is not yet in asia and the philippines. but it’s a good idea to know a lot about it so we can prepare ourselves as early as now on what we need to know and what to do. the CDC website i think is an excellent resource:

here is the CDC site, “Swine Flu And You” : http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

CDC site Swine Flu Key Facts : http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

CDC site – Anti-Viral Drugs For Swine Flu : http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/antiviral_swine.htm

CDC recos on face masks: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/masks.htm

swine flu pandemic to reach asia? when? protect yourself

waking up this sunday morning has not been a easy one – the swine flu that was first seen in mexico is now being tagged by the WHO as “pandemic potential”, that means it can infect and kill many more people and can spread to the rest of the world. it already has reached a few parts of the US.

what has been bothersome here was the late response and few actions mexico has taken. mexico looked at cases too late and that means they were unable to contain it to a small area. in fact it has spread to several states in the US. with the late response, it may have infected people who have left mexico to other parts of the world. that means as you read this, people with the swine flu may now be in asia already and infecting others.

read about swine flu a ” pandemic potential”: http://tinyurl.com/clytwc
read about CDC saying swine flu outbreak serious: http://tinyurl.com/c272z2

Commuters wear face masks to prevent the infection by the swine flu

 

the CDC has a list of things to do to protect yourselves from getting infected with the swine flu, but i would emphasize a few things that you can do now:

buy and stock up on bottles of hand sanitizers (will there be stock outs?)

have small bottles of rubbing alcohol acvailable in your car

buy and stock up on a supply of surgical masks (will there be stock outs?)

keeping very healthy now is a good idea – lots of water and vitamin C? 

CDC this is the best source of information on the swine flu, read here: http://tinyurl.com/cqlxtr

from the CDC, things to do to protect yourself from getting swine flu:

Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people. There are many things you can to do preventing getting and spreading influenza:

There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.