Swine flu has just hit the news in a big way. Let’s start with some facts, then move on to some speculation.
According to the ABC, WHO has declared Swine flu an ‘international public health emergency’. Mexico’s official figures are 81 dead and 1300 infected.
That, in itself, wouldn’t have me worried.
But it’s clearly already crossed the board to America in quite a large way, according to the UK Telegraph:
The disease has already spread to the United States and eight children in New York, two people in Kansas and eight more in California have reportedly been infected by the virus.
That’s quite a lot of confirmed cases over a large geographical spread. And the problem with a virus being in America is that there is A LOT of international air travel from America.
International air travel may have already spread the virus to New Zealand and the UK:
A New Zealand school group has been quarantined after returning from Mexico with flu-like symptoms, local news media reported on Sunday quoting local health authorities.
Three teachers and 22 senior students from Rangitoto College in Auckland, arrived back in the country on Saturday after a three-week trip to Mexico, according to the reports.
And in London a member of a British Airways cabin crew was taken to hospital with “flu-like symptoms” after falling ill on a flight from Mexico City to Heathrow.
So now let’s move on to some speculation from less reliable sources. I bumped into this report:
I’m a doctor in Mexico City, people here are sort of concerned, calling it the end of the world. I’ve read most of the articles floating around and, I’m sorry to say, the situation is being covered up.
I work at one of the public hospitals in the state of Mexico. On Friday, in our hospital alone, we had 32 deaths attributed to this, and today it was 28 deaths by 3 pm,when my shift ended. This is only in one hospital out of several. We have converted the ICU into an isolation area. since there are many people coming in with initial symptoms.
I would also like to share with you the history of the disease. People who die do so about 5 days after initial symptoms. Also, i want to add the fact that patients are presenting hemoptysis, which means coughing up blood -this has not previously been a symptom of influenza.
There is definitely cause to be concerned, and by the looks of it, this could spread quickly. I am actually taking antiviral profilaxis with oseltamavir, hopefully that will keep me safe. I go back to the hospital on Monday, wish me luck!
Naturally that could be fake. But it’s relatively likely that Mexican authorities are not accurately reporting the scale of the problem. International students have reported that universities have been closed by authorities.
Perhaps it’s time to close some boarders and see how this plays out?

Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.
I don’t often find myself running to the defense of ‘extreme right’ politicians – but this news story presses all my button. I’d recommend the 
I’ve got the flu, and have taken a passing interest in something called ‘evolutionary medicine’ or ‘Darwinian medicine’ and its explanation of the placebo effect.
We’re all aware of the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai. As details emerge we learn that the gunmen used a ‘complex GPS systems to navigate to Mumbai by sea’ while communicating with mobile phones, satellite phones and web browsing on Blackberrys –