Do you have Swine Flu?

Take this self-assessment, based on material from Emory University, to learn whether you might have H1N1 (swine flu).

https://h1n1.cloudapp.net/Default.aspx

You may have been trying to follow the swine flu story on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/. As far as I am concerned, some new bureaucrats must have gotten involved and decided that they wanted to complicate use of the CDC's website so much that you can't even find useful information.

Previously, it was quite easy to read the weekly report on Fridays and spot the growth in number of "laboratory confirmed" cases, later the "confirmed and probable" cases. You could easily see the count by-State, both for cases and for deaths. I started an Excel spreadsheet and copied the number each week from May 6 (Illinois, 122 cases) to July 24 (Illinois, 3,404 cases).

Why is it that the U.S. Government is hiding swine flu facts from the public? Give us the numbers and let us decide how serious this "pandemic" is! And not by "region"; by State!

Swine flu - worldwide

From the World Health Organization:

"As of 06:00 GMT, 14 May 2009, 33 countries have officially reported 6497 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

"Mexico has reported 2446 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 60 deaths. The United States has reported 3352 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths. Canada has reported 389 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death."

The CDC website reports at 11:00AM that there are 4,298 confirmed cases in the U.S., with 620 of those in Illinois. The difference in numbers is at least partially due to different reporting times.

Based on a U.S. population of 306,427,204, this is nothing; right? But keep in mind; these are only "confirmed" cases. How many cases are walking around - unconfirmed?

Continue to use the recommended precautions.

Swine Flu cases double in day

Today's CDC report on confirmed swine flu (H1N1) cases has nearly doubled, from 842 yesterday at 11:00AM to 1,639 at 11:00AM report today. Cases have been reported in South Dakota and in Washington, D.C.

There are 392 reported cases in Illinois (up from 204 cases 24 hours earlier).

It's important to note that these are only cases "confirmed" by testing. So it seems logical to wonder how many thousands are walking around "unconfirmed".

Of significance is that there have been only two deaths in the U.S. This may be a reason that so few people in the general population seem to be worried at all. Of 45 readers responding so far in the poll on this site, only 3 (6%) are "greatly" concerned.

In the words of one member of the McHenry County Board of Health, each person must be "personally responsible." If you are sick, stay home for seven days. (Just tell your boss to mail your paycheck to you.)