"URGENT" NEED FOR PREVENTIVE MEASURES"PORCINA"

[MARGARET CARRASCO]

C a s a M e x i q u e n s e
25 N. COUNTY #2 Floor WAUKEGAN, IL 60085
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
P R E S S R E L E A S E
For Immediate Release – April 25, 2009
Contact: Margaret Carrasco
(312) 246-1360 -Cell/Txtmsg

SWINE FLU “PORCINA”
** URGENT **
LOCAL MEXICAN ORGANIZATION URGES “IMMEDIATE”
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
BE TAKEN IN LAKE COUNTY (Waukegan/Round Lake)

WAUKEGAN, IL -Weddings, public events, schools CANCELLED, churches, movie theatres, bars, day cares, soccer stadiums “CLOSED ”, masks distributed by soldiers, Governor of Guanajuato requested 10 million vaccines, government workers ordered vaccinated, exodus of residents from D.F, some flying families out of the country -all preventive measures taken after Mexico was declared a State of Emergency by the international health organization OMS stating the potential of 854 additional “PORCINA” cases. Initial claims, the virus originated April 30 in the State of Oaxaca but now cases since March have surfaced in the State of Veracruz but were not addressed.

On Sunday, the “ CASA MEXIQUENSE” organization in Waukegan received an urgent press release from Mexico City requesting assistance from community organizations in warning Mexican nationals residing in Illinois to take preventive measures.. Julio Camarena Villaseñor, a top Mexican government official of Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE), stated that the targeted groups are NOT only persons inside of MEXICO but also OUTSIDE of MEXICO !! specifically mentioning “ temporary workers, undocumented residents, travelers and tourist.

Margaret Carrasco, President of the Casa Mexiquense stated, ”Immediate collaborated preventive measures must be taken TODAY. I will be personally contacting the Superintendent of Waukegan and Round Lake Public Schools recommending that informational flyers go home MONDAY with each student for starters and suggesting the idea of collaborated efforts together with the LAKE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT for other necessary health-related events take place at the Waukegan Public Schools Parent Information center this week. Many residents come and go everyday from Mexico in Lake County. Just last week hundreds of teachers and students returned from Spring Break vacations in addition to the recent arrival of H2-B landscapers to the area, all potential carriers of the virus, so I don't understand why nothing has been done yet !! It may already be too late."

Many preventive measures have NOT yet been taken such as : 1) Screening at Borders &/or closing all borders 2) Screening passengers at airports (ex: JAPAN, PERU, CHILE, ITALY, CHINA, BRASIL, PHILIPINES already doing). Lake County officials should respond immediately and collaborate efforts to PREVENT the need to “react” to an epidemic as is taking place in Mexico.

[fedupinwaukegan]

Thank you for sharing this information. I too, share your concern. I understand that people come and go in Waukegan from Mexico and want our community to be prepared if a case of flu shows up here as in Kansas, Texas, California, New York, Nova Scotia, New Zealand...

Getting information out about handwashing and what symptoms to look for are so important.

Could your organization specifically ask that anyone arriving here from Mexico in the last week be extra vigilant and/or for the community to reach out to those people? Especially if they won't hear about this if they don't have students in the school system (bringing home a letter).

Please keep us updated.

103 now dead in Mexico. Cases spreading. We just need to be sensible and take precautions.

Margaret, find a transcript of the White House press conference. You can get some information there as well.

I read that most of the flights out of Mexico City/area are booked.

[fedupinwaukegan]

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Press-Briefing-On-Swine-Influenza-4/26/09/">http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_off ... a-4/26/09/</a><!-- m -->

Here's a transcript of the press conference at the White House today about the flu.

[aliotakirk]

Now you're worried Margaret? Thats a hoot.

[freedomisntfree]

undocumented residents? Are you referring to Illegal Aliens? Many residents ( including illegal aliens?) come and go everyday from Mexico in Lake County.

To protect Lake County and the rest of the country the flow of illegal aliens should be immediately stopped. Every illegal alien and any other citizen or legal resident that has had any contact or been out of the country in a suspect area should go to the clinic and get checked out. This is a perfect example of why the flow of illegals needs to be stopped. How can the United States do any type of monitoring, or control our borders and prevent further spread, when the illegal aliens don't go thru the legal channels and ports of entry? "Real" prevention efforts should start with stopping illegal entry into the United States.

As far as notifying the Waukegan school, what's the big deal? You've got their email addresses. Why don't you just forward your message to Batiste and Gaudin and Hanna via email, just like you emailed my posts to them 5 months ago?

[aliotakirk]

Don't worry according to Sanctuary Bob and his supporters illegals who aren't committing felonies pose no real danger to us.

[Blackdiamond]

Have the symptoms been posted and I missed it?

[fedupinwaukegan]

Blackdiamond Wrote:Have the symptoms been posted and I missed it?

This was from a link in the News Sun.


Questions & Answers
Key Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)
On This Page


Swine Flu

What is Swine Influenza?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.



Can humans catch swine flu?
Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (e.g. children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). In addition, there have been documented cases of one person spreading swine flu to others. For example, an outbreak of apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.
How common is swine flu infection in humans?
In the past, CDC received reports of approximately one human swine influenza virus infection every one to two years in the U.S., but from December 2005 through February 2009, 12 cases of human infection with swine influenza have been reported.

What are the symptoms of swine flu in humans?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

How does swine flu spread?
Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

What do we know about human-to-human spread of swine flu?
In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman was hospitalized for pneumonia and died 8 days later. A swine H1N1 flu virus was detected. Four days before getting sick, the patient visited a county fair swine exhibition where there was widespread influenza-like illness among the swine.

In follow-up studies, 76% of swine exhibitors tested had antibody evidence of swine flu infection but no serious illnesses were detected among this group. Additional studies suggest that one to three health care personnel who had contact with the patient developed mild influenza-like illnesses with antibody evidence of swine flu infection.
How can human infections with swine influenza be diagnosed?
To diagnose swine influenza A infection, a respiratory specimen would generally need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus). However, some persons, especially children, may shed virus for 10 days or longer. Identification as a swine flu influenza A virus requires sending the specimen to CDC for laboratory testing.

What medications are available to treat swine flu infections in humans?
There are four different antiviral drugs that are licensed for use in the US for the treatment of influenza: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir. While most swine influenza viruses have been susceptible to all four drugs, the most recent swine influenza viruses isolated from humans are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. At this time, CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses.

[fedupinwaukegan]

We did get a note home from school and one of those automated calls. Here is what the note said;


April 27, 2009
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

This letter is to help protect you and your family from the swine flu and other
illnesses.

It is important to point out that there is no swine flu in Illinois at this time.
Breathing in or touching infected droplets from an infected person who is coughing
or sneezing will spread the virus that causes Swine Flu.
Please do the following to protect yourself and others from the Swine Flu:

1. Keep sick children at home. Do not send them to school.
2. Teach your children to wash their hands with lots of soap and water for
20 seconds. Set a good example by doing this yourself.
3. Teach your children to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues or by
using the inside of their elbow. Be sure to set a good example by doing
this yourself. If you cannot wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer.
4. Teach your children to stay at least three feet away from people who are
sick.
5. People who are sick should stay home from work or school and avoid
contact with other people until they are better.

If you have questions, please contact Joan Hyatt, Health Services Coordinator (847‐
360‐5418), your health care provider, school nurse, or the Lake County Health
Department (847‐377‐8130).

Sincerely,
Joan Hyatt,
Health Services Coordinator
Waukegan School District #60

[kellyann1293]

One of my boys seems to have caught some sort of bug. While I don't think he's got any of the various influenza options, he's got a fever over 100F so he's got to stay home tomorrow. Amazing how he perked right up when the thermometer registered a fever! Now the older boy is jealous and wants to get a fever so he can stay home too. :roll: