Pig Flu

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Pig Swine Flu Influenza for all affected Countries (As of May 16, 2009 3:00 AM ET)

There are 7,520 cases 64 confirmed deaths of Swine Flu or Pig Flu as of May 16 2009 in the USA; these are the countries affected.  The legend on the right of the image shows the countries order of reported appearence.

Mexico 4298 United States 2446 Canada 449 New Zealand 7 United Kingdom 71 Israel 7 Spain 100 Germany 12 Austria 1 Switzerland 1 Netherlands 3 China 4 Denmark 1 France 14 Costa Rica 8 South Korea 3 Portugal 1 Italy 9 El Salvador 4 Colombia 10 Sweden 2 Guatemala 3 Ireland 1 Brazil 8 Japan 4 Panama 40 Poland 1 Australia 1 Argentina 1 Norway 2 Cuba 3 Finland 2 Thailand 2 Belgium 1 TOTAL 7520 cases 64 confirmed deaths

Swine Flu Graph shows confirmed cases as they are reported to the WHO.  Some countries don't show realistic numbers because the systems for measurement are lack infrastructure.

Source: World Health Organization

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Pig Swine Flu Influenza in the United States (As of May 16, 2009 2:00 AM ET)

There are 4,714 cases and 4 deaths of Swine Flu or Pig Flu as of May 10 2009 in the USA; these are the 47 states affected by the pig influenza:

Source: Center for Disease Control

The CDC epidemiologist expert Joseph Bresee, describes how to recognize the signs and symptoms of swine flu including how swine flu is transmitted, appropriate medicines for treatment and steps to take to prevent or treat illness.

The World Health Organization has raised the level of pandemic alert from 4 to 5; 6 is considered a pandemic. But both levels 5 and 6 are considered to raise the awareness to great concern according to the World Health Organization. Chart showing the WHO pig flu levels of alertness.

Follows the statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan:

"Based on assessment of all available information, and following several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current

Texas Officials reported that a Mexican toddler who came to the United States already infected with Pig Flu, was being treated in Texas

In a separate statement, President Obama recommended that schools with confirmed or suspected cases of the disease “strongly consider temporarily closing.”

“This is obviously a serious situation, serious enough to take the utmost precautions,” Barrack Obama said.

There are now more than 50 cases reported in the United States, and the number of confirmed cases worldwide continues to raise.  It is now apparent also that the number of daily new cases in Mexico is slowing.  Source: NY Times

A team from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is on its way to Mexico Tuesday April 28 with the purporse of investigating the origin of the swin flu cases in Mexico.

The chief veterinary officer of the FAO, Joseph Domenech, told the BBC that rumours that people had been falling ill last month near some intensive pig farms meant the FAO had to act: "[We had] no indication of human cases of direct contact with pigs but this can never be totally sure and the probability that this virus could come from pigs directly could not be anyway ruled out totally"

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised today the Influenza Pandemic Prepardness Level to Phase 4, making it one step below Pandemic. This level was raised based on evidence that it is being transmitted from human to human causing community level outbreaks.  See the descriptions of the phases from the WHO below.

Read Description of Phases

Obama on Pig Flu

Obama made a speech from Washington, DC urging people to be calm and assuring them that the US CDC (Center for Disease Control) was taking the necessary steps to ensure a potential pandemic. Part of this included a more tight control at the US-Mexico and US-Canada borders. Source: Routers

Funny note on Obama shaking hand of Person with Pig Flu in Mexico. True or Hoax?

There are "rumors" that say that Obama might have shaked the hand of a person who later died of pig flu. This might have occurred during Barack Obama's visit to Mexico on April 16, three days after the first cases started showing in Mexico. Source: Anorak (UK)

Obama video on Pig Flu

CBS-YouTube video where Obama tries to calm the public about the global Pig Flu outbrake.

Sources: CBS,

As the spread of the deadly Swine Flu virus speeds up in Mexico and starts entering other countries such as the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and Israel, countries are taking necessary precautions to prevent the virus from reaching a pandemic in their own countries.  This measures include quarantining some sick travelers from Countries known to have the pig flu virus.  The United States Homeland Security has released a quarter of its 50 million antiviral medicatons to be delivered to the cities and towns as a preemptive measure to combat the sperad of the flu infections.  Source: AP