Wednesday, 15 July 2009

Piggy in the Middle?

It's difficult to know where the UK is in relation to the pandemic of swine 'flu but it does seem a bit strange that this country is apparently third (after Mexico and the USA) in terms of the number of cases confirmed and the reported deaths (now including a few individuals with seemingly no underlying disease conditions). This is even more strange, given the provision of anti-virals and our distance from the initial outbreak. One can't help but wonder whether the levels of reporting might vary a bit from country to country. The latest levels of swine 'flu in the UK and its apparent virulence (in some individuals) seem to have surprised even some experts (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/audio/2009/jul/15/swine-flu-health-doctors-influenza). Some even suspect that the viral agent might increase in virulence. Although a vaccine is reported to be near to human trials, it will be months before it is available in meaningful quantities. It looks as if autumn will be quite exciting.

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