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CDC & White House Media Briefings on Swine Flu Epidemic

sharon sanders

sharon sanders

Editor-in-Chief & President
CDC Media Briefing Regarding Swine Influenza, A H1N1, Found in People in California and Texas -

3:30 pm EDT Today


Anne Schuchat, M.D. - Acting Interim Deputy Director for Science & Public Health Program (Vaccines)

Nancy Cox, M.D. - Chief, Influenza Division



The CDC held a media conference today regarding the cases of human swine flu in the states of California (San Diego and Imperial Counties) and Texas (San Antonio), USA:

1. There are 7 confirmed cases and is human to human transmission.

2. 5 in California that include a father and daughter.

3. 2 in Texas that include 2 sixteen year old boys that attended the same school.

4. All confirmed cases have recovered.

5. Symptoms include respiratory involvement, diarrhea, and vomiting.

6. Age range is 9 years to 54 years.

7. 3 females, 4 males.

8. This swine influenza has 4 components: North American Swine influenza virus, North American Avian influenza virus, Human influenza virus, Swine influenza virus usually seen in Asia and Europe.

9. CDC does not know the extent of the spread and is continuing investigation. Expects more cases due to scrutiny.

10. Pilot vaccine program has begun, which is standard operating procedure when a new viral strain is discovered.

11. This strain is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine but sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir.

12. Swine flu is NOT caused from eating pork.

13. CDC is working with the states involved and Pan American Health Organization, Canada, and Mexico.

14. The CDC does not have any confirmation that the illness that has recently caused several deaths in Mexico is swine influenza.

15. Wash hands, stay home if you are sick. Adopt healthy lifestyle.

16. There will be an update everyday at 3 pm EDT on www.cdc.gov for Swine influenza data.


Sharon Sanders for
FluTrackers.com
 
Re: CDC Investigating Human Swine Influenza Cases in California and Texas

Re: CDC Investigating Human Swine Influenza Cases in California and Texas

Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINTRE53N5W920090424

U.S. swine flu cases now total 8: CDC
Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:38am IST


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A strange new strain of flu that may have killed as many as 60 people in Mexico has also sickened eight people in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.

"Our concern has grown as of yesterday," CDC acting director Dr. Richard Besser told reporters in a telephone briefing.

"We do not have enough info to fully assess the health threat posed by this new swine flu virus." He said 7 of 14 Mexican samples had tested positive for the new and unusual strain of H1N1 swine flu.

(Reporting by Maggie Fox, editing by Patricia Zengerle)
 
Re: Human Swine Flu Infection - California & Texas

Re: Human Swine Flu Infection - California & Texas

CDC Media Conference April 24, 2009 -

Human Swine Flu

Richard Besser M.D. - Acting Director for the Centers for Disease Control - USA


The CDC held a media briefing today:

1. There are now a total of 8 confirmed cases of Swine influenza in the United States. The new case is a child from the San Diego, California area and is fully recovered.

2. All samples (7) from Mexico that tested positive for swine flu match the swine flu isolates in the United States.

3. The U.S. government is sharing all information. WHO and PAHO are involved. The U.S. government supports IHR.

4. The CDC is sending teams to California, Texas, and Mexico.

5. There are no travel advisories to the affected areas at this time.

6. There is an outbreak notice being prepared which will be on the CDC site later today.

7. Also a MMWR update will be available today.

8. Information on this situation will be available at cdc.gov\flu\swine.com

9. The phone number to obtain information about this event is 1-800-cdc-info.

10. Dr. Besser stated the 3 conditions to consider when contemplating pandemic alert levels: Is the virus/disease new to humans?, Is the disease severe?, Is it easily tranmissible and sustainable in the population?.



Sharon Sanders
for FluTrackers.com
 
Re: CDC Media Briefings on Swine Flu Epidemic in Mexico & USA

Re: CDC Media Briefings on Swine Flu Epidemic in Mexico & USA

I think that headline is a sensational.

The answer in response to a question about "containment" was that containment does not work well in these kinds of circumstances. i.e. possible epidemic in Mexico.
 
Re: WHO considers raising global pandemic alert level

Re: WHO considers raising global pandemic alert level

keep in mind they are talking fast so I'm just trying to keep up.

notes from meeting:
Not a lot new from yesterday to report
Info from yesterday:
8 confirmed human cases of swing flu in USA
dynamic times, many things will be changing
hard to predict
be prepared for change
be prepared for CDC info
number of state investigations going on
public health has rallied.
no confirmed information from those cases.
state labs used to discovery, CDC labs to verify

Today:
CDC teams in s. california
CDC teams in Mexico
working closely with Mexico and Canada and other partners around the world
looking closely in USA

Mentioned yesterday:
Mexico, no travel restrictions, travel safely, be prepared.

Trying to take action early before things get worse. Activities in will differ in different communities.

Stressing points:
US confirmed cases are mild. Only 1 of 8 hospitalized
concerned about Mexico situation
US has been fortunate
Time to prepare

Questions:
Maggie from Reuters:
Where specifically are you investigating. Reports of cluster of flu in US and Mexico
Answers:
State and local lead investigations. CDC provides tech assistance
As of now CA Health Dept has asked for help
TX has asked for assitance
Mexico Govt has asked as well
CDC does not take lead
Public health does this all the time. Public health is leading

Question:
Carmen:
Oct 20,2008 information to the congress of US of discovery in 1997 H5N1 discovery in US....what investigations do you have on H5N1 virilant strain. What work would follow with homeland security. What is the update do you have about MExico and Switzerland.

CDC:
Let me clarify H5N1 is not what we are talking about in US and Mexico. Because of H5N1 we are better prepared. We are not talking about that particular virus, we are talking about the swine, human and bird influenza.
Homeland security works with public health and CDC.
In terms of Mexico and WHO, frequent communication between health leaders between US, MX and CA and Switzerland
What is going on in Geneva I am not prepared to report on, because of the many things going on.

Questions:
Robert, NBC
2 things WHO, our understanding is that decision was made not to go to level 4, why is this event not considered level 4?
Dan: there are many factors when WHO takes into account. Activity is ongoing now. Many individuals are involved. Please restate questions
Robert: Why isn't the phase being updated?
Dan: They need more time, review efficiency of spread..etc. At this point they are still evaluating this information.
CDC: We are preparing, we are being very forward, we are actively looking for virus. We are preparing for discovery of more exposure.

Helen: Canadian Press
Not convinced many people are paying attention. Do you have concern the message is not getting out:
Answer: Think it's always difficult to get messages out. Situration is serious, CDC is worried, we are in contact with leaders of nations. The fact WHO is reviewing means everyone is taking it very seriously. We have a very serious situation going on. We need to put this in perspecitve with regards to peoples days to day lives.
Follow up question
What is going on in mexico: is there more severe disease there? I'm wondering if any testing CDC has done has suggested anything else is out there?
CDC: What we know so far, severe in mexico, we know mild disease in is USA. Same virus appears to be causing both. We are looking for severe disease.

Question:
WHO said 9 additional suspect cases are being investigated? Any new info? how widespread?
CDC: impossible for anyone to give us real static numbers cuz everything is changing.
CDC: We do not think we can contain the spread of the virus. It is widespread. But with infections in many different communities that we are seeing, containment isn't possible. we do think we are likely to find more cases. Cases in US are mild. We do think we can keep this virus in one place.

Question
Keystar: mention 2 days ago that one patient in SD county taveled to Mexico..can you confirm? Reports of cases in Mexicalli, can you comment on cases in that area:
CDC: SD california health dept will be the best information source.
CDC: Mexicalli, ...2 confirmed cases, looking more actively in that areas. Mexico is just now getting really organized to implement a broader surveillance system

Question:
CNN: Why is MX more virulent. Has president been briefed.
CDC: we don't want to speculate about why MX is more virulent.


sorry...I can't keep up...hope you found this bit of info valuable. but CDC is being careful about the information they state about specific known outbreaks.
 
Re: CDC-briefing

Re: CDC-briefing

vaccine production could be scaled up (?)

no new samples from Mex

17:50UTC

same genetics USA as in Mexico

17:53 about Lab-testing

sequences are made available to laboratories
{but apparantly those may not publish them ??}{gsgs}

18:00
stopped
 
USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

hat tip Fla Medic -

 Whitehouse Briefing On Swine Flu Today At 12:30 PM EDT



# 3049



This press conference should be carried by all the major news stations.

You should be able to watch online at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/


This report from Reuters.



White House to hold special briefing on swine flu

Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:06am EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and other administration officials will address a special White House briefing on the swine flu outbreak on Sunday, the White House said in a statement.

The White House said Napolitano would be joined at the 12:30 p.m. EDT briefing by Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and John Brennan, assistant to the president for Homeland Security.

The officials will give an update on the flu outbreak in the United States and the government's response, the statement said.

(Reporting by Ross Colvin, editing by Patricia Zengerle)
​
 
Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

in 20min ?
maybe I can watch and report summaries in this thread life.

But better some native English speaker does it ?! anyone ?


listening here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamaforamerica/gGxWYp


12:36 rapidly address new cases
12:37 robust communication has priority

12:40 a "group" (missed which)

HHS : coordinate
CDC : identify+track

Besser will speak, then Napolitano

18:42 Besser
update:
20 case in US , 8 states : 8+1(ohio)+2+2+7 ,
all recovering , but expecting more severe cases

18:43 website, once a day updated with new cases

apparantly no hope, this will burn out

18:45 school closings expected
18:46 www.cdc.gov
18:47: help Mexico go get more labarotory capacity
18:48 vaccine making

18:49 Napolitano
intend to continue these daily briefings
18:50 emergency to be declared today in USA
(technical, "less dramatic than it sounds"
18:51 antivirals 50M available in strategic stockpile
25% of these to be released
Defence has 7M
no problem with food supply
no flu from pork
18:52 persons to be screened at borders from outbreak regions
18:53 TSA? , no travel advisories (yet)
18:54 marathon, not sprint
anticipate 2nd wave

18:55 questions

how long is the marathon ?
in our favour: end of season , so we expect decrease in cases
1 case of h2h in USA --Mex-->spouse

18:57 question=?
too early for economical estimates
18:58 president ? 24-48h incubation , Obama safe
18:58 vaccine , virus here next flu season ?
18:59 vaccine not recommended . Obama vaccinated by Tamiflu ?
19:00 quarantine allowed after the emergency declaration ?
how likely very severy ?
quarantine locally decided (state)
prematory

better name it: declaration of emergency preparedness
don't know what size and seriousness
19:04 quarantining communities not expected to be feasable
but mitigation possible
19:06 great collaboration US-Mex-CDN
19:07 test passengers from Mex = terrorism ?
"passive surveillance", asking
expect the emergence of new strains
reassordance from several sources (said Besser?) (19:09) times in MEDT
19:13 no answer for the difference in violence Mex-US
no comment on Mex
only small increase
19:15 laughing
Obama safe
end

19:16
 
Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

gsgs said:
in 20min ?
maybe I can watch and report summaries in this thread life.

But better some native English speaker does it ?! anyone ?
Click to expand...

I will be watching and will post my notes here. Please anyone who would like to add, please do!
 
Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

White House Briefing -

Secretary Janet Napolitano, Department of Homeland Security

Richard Besser, M.D., Acting Director, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention

John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

WHEN: Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 12:30 p.m. ET

WHERE: White House Press Briefing Room

-------------------------


HHS Declares a Public Health Emergency -

This is routine in events like flooding and also the inauguration - allows for prepositioning of assets, releases funds, expands testing procedures.
 
Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

they also mentioned different levels of response to different locations.

they do expect it to continue to spread.

individual has a role to play, prevent spread, wash hands, stay home
 
Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

I am writing my notes now.

If anyone has some, please post.
 
Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

Re: USA - White House Briefing On Swine Flu Today at 12:30 pm EDT - Video Stream Link

They covered some of it on the UK BBC news and said they were releasing 'vaccine packs'. Is this correct and if so what might they be talking about?
 
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