Swine flu anyone?

So swine flu has arrived in the remote shores of New Zealand. Confirmed cases, with many more quarantined, possibly infected. Let's face it - we can expect many of us to get it. The real question - how fatal will it turn out to be. So far, they are all recovering well.... but the situation will worsen for us all if it starts to kill the same way it appears to have done in Mexico.

I guess if it spreads we will face some time in masks, some loss of freedom, no travel, no group gatherings, and the fear associated with knowing you are likely to catch something and there is not a lot you can do about it. I know in the past when my children have been really ill with various viruses, trying to isolate them is a joke. Part of you knows the damage is already done, but just trying to keep from breathing it, handling it, spreading it is very hard. The fact that often only one child got ill I put down to good luck and immunity, not necessarily good management! I can imagine it would add a new dimension to supermarket shopping - let's dress up to go to the mall! Now where are my mask, gloves.....

Still, if we hit a pandemic alert, I will have the thrill of trying to run training classes from home and seeing the learning of many students completely disrupted. That's without trying to figure out how to cope with sick staff... I have coped with fire, flood and snow here; this will just be a new experience. I did read that the things we need to cope; drugs, masks, gowns, gloves, might all run out as they are all produced in Asian countries and travel will slow down...that in fact people are more likely to die, regardless whether they get the flu, because they cannot get access to the regular drugs they need - insulin, antibiotics etc.

I guess if we do catch it, most of us will be nursed at home, with some comfort, space, running water. I am trying to imagine the impact this will have elsewhere too... on those who are already ill or immuno compromised. Yes, for them I worry.

I read this today about Dhaka in Bangladesh - how will places like this cope with a potential pandemic!

Hot spell to continue

1 more dies; power situation improves

One person died of a heat stroke in Bhola yesterday while the diarrhoea situation continued to worsen in the capital and elsewhere in the country over the last 24 hours.

According to the meteorological office, temperature in Dhaka came down to 36.5 degrees Celsius yesterday from 39.6 degrees Celsius a day before, while the highest temperature was recorded in Jessore at 39.2 degrees Celsius yesterday.

The heat wave may continue for two more days, met office sources said, before an expected rainfall. The city dwellers got a little respite from the agony of frequent power outage with the slight improvement in the power-supply situation in the capital. But the acute crisis of water in many areas of Dhaka has compounded the sufferings of city dwellers.

The city thoroughfares witnessed a low presence of people yesterday as many people tried to stay indoors to seek refuge form the heat wave that has been sweeping the country for the past few weeks.

Cases of diarrhoea, cholera, viral fever, pneumonia, typhoid and jaundice have increased in the city and across the country due to the scorching heat and water pollution. Children are the worst sufferer of these diseases and hospitals have been experiencing almost double the patients than usual.

It helps me to keep this in perspective....


You can track the outbreak on google:


View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map