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28 Apr 2009 21:10

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U.S.: Swine flu gets headlines, but regular flu kills more people

  • 150 people have died of swine flu since the outbreak began this week source

28 Apr 2009 08:45

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U.S., World: The swine flu death toll has risen significantly

  • 152 deaths have been reported, all of them in Mexico source

27 Apr 2009 09:03

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U.S., World: Europe: Avoid visiting the U.S. or Mexico due to swine flu

  • The European Union’s health commissioner told its citizens to avoid traveling to the U.S., so as to prevent a swine flu pandemic. source
  • Swine flu has already made its way to Spain, with one confirmed case and 17 suspected. And it could get worse. Panic! source

26 Apr 2009 22:22

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U.S.: Cut cholesterol and keep your prostate cancer-free, all at once!

  • Researchers say statin drugs help old dudes in more ways than one. In a test of 2,447 older men, research showed that just 6% of all men using statin drugs, already shown to help prevent heart disease, got prostrate cancer. On the other hand, those who didn’t take statin drugs were three times more likely to get it. The rates are still preliminary, and more testing will be needed to confirm the claims, but hooray for research! source

26 Apr 2009 11:22

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World: Thanks swine flu: In Mexico City, everything’s closed, even churches

  • We are all Catholic, so this is a big step. I guess I’ll have to come back later.
  • Johana Chavez • A 22-year-old who went to Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral to get confirmed, only to get turned away by federal police in blue masks. The policemen were there to prevent further spread of the swine flu that’s killed dozens and sickened over a thousand. Most other public places were closed in response to the outbreak, by the way. So, point to take from this: If swine flu hits, not even religion is there for you. • source

25 Apr 2009 10:32

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World: Today is World Malaria Day. Here’s a PSA from Ashley Judd.

  • Malaria used to be a completely devastating disease; now, thanks to much fighting, it appears the world has turned a corner in fighting it.source

25 Apr 2009 10:00

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U.S., World: Swine flu has the World Health Organization on its Ps and Qs

  • The World Health Organization called an emergency meeting in response to the outbreak of swine flu that has gone from minor concern to major danger in a just couple of days. The disease has killed dozens in Mexico and sickened scores of others. source
  • WHO is debating raising the flu pandemic alert level from three (no/limited risk) to four or five (new flu virus in the wild and spreading) “This is a very high concern for us as the world’s global health organization,” said WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl. source
  • Can the virus be stopped? While traditional flu vaccines designed to stem the flow of viruses are ineffective against swine flu, it appears that Tamiflu, a common drug well-stocked by Mexico and the U.S., fully remedies the virus. *Whew.* source
 

24 Apr 2009 19:09

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U.S., World: In Mexico, swine flu is not funny. In fact, it’s scary.

School’s been cancelled. People have been told to stay away from places with lots of people. Panic has set in. *deep breath* source

23 Apr 2009 22:01

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U.S.: Swine flu: It’s like regular flu, but with more pork

  • Seven people recently got a strain of the flu, and researchers are weirded out. The flu, currently centered around California and Texas, is unlike any of the strains currently floating around. It carries elements of swine flu, avian flu and human flu viruses and have researchers stumped. Those suffering from it have already recovered, by the way. We want to imagine in the back of our heads a good story as to how the first person got it, but our fingers are preventing us from typing. source

21 Apr 2009 10:23

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U.S.: Way too many Americans live with the pain of paralysis

  • 5.6 million, or one in 50, have some form of paralysis source