Swine flu continues steep rise.

Nearly every nation has become vulnerable to the swine flu in what the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling the fastest spreading pandemic ever. An official count reports that the virus has claimed 991 lives and has spread to 160,038 people in 160 countries. Unofficially, experts say there are many times more.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported several jumps in new cases within single 24-hour periods, with 212 on Tuesday, 522 on Wednesday and an alarming 1,671 new cases that appeared in Europe on Thursday. In Norway, a large summer youth camp was shut down when 37 participants showed symptoms of the swine flu.

Globally, the US is still the hardest hit known country, with a new projection by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that up to 40 percent of the population, or 122 million people, could become stricken within the next year, with fatality rates double that of the regular seasonal flu. Argentina is also being closely followed for her unusually high fatalities, which at 137 are second only to the US.

Experts suspect the emergence of a virus mutation, which could easily cause a repeat of past lethal pandemics and kill tens of millions. Such genetic mutations occur most frequently in the deplorable condition of industrial-scale animal farms.

We thank the world’s health agencies and governments for their efforts to inform and protect the public. Our shared grief and prayers for those who are suffering or fearing for a loved one
at this time. May further calamity be minimized and future pandemics averted altogether through the lifesaving animal-free lifestyle.

Reference:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/278822,agency-sees-sharp-rise-in-swine-flu-in-europe--summary.html http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/07/24/swine-flu-could-eventually-affect-4037-of.html , http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/25/swine.flu.vaccine.volunteers/ http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/details.php?id=687338 http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/25/norway.swine.flu/index.html?iref=24hours http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/25/swine.flu.vaccine.volunteers/ http://english.cna.com.tw/ReadNews/Detail.aspx?pSearchDate=&pNewsID=200907250022&pType1=JD&pType0=xJDLNHH&pTypeSel=0
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25832121-5006786,00.html
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/278822,agency-sees-sharp-rise-in-swine-flu-in-europe--summary.html
http://www.euronews.net/2009/07/24/flu-pandemic-covers-close-to-greater-than-percent-of-the-planet/