Rapidly developing international health scare

The early advent of the cold weather probably brings with it an earlier start to the flu season here. While no dogs have contacted swine flu yet, we are always wary. You never know when the public opinion will turn around and call for a cull of dogs, as some did during SARS when they couldn't figure out where the bacteria was from.

The scariest story coming out is perhaps the rapid spread of suspected cases of mutated swine flu in Ukraine. The story itself has taken on a mutation of sorts of its own. Initially, some observers believed that the Ukrainian government was exaggerating the matter as an excuse to impose strict public orders in order to interrupt a general election whose results were likely to be unfavorable to the government.

More deaths and infections were reported and then the World Health Organization (WHO) sent experts to Ukraine and supposed to have verified and reported the situation by now. But there's been unknown reasons for a delay in the reports. More reports of deaths and infections. Now border controls all over Europe have been put on alert for visitors from the Ukraine. As usual numbers get spun out of control, the number of deaths went from 189, a few days ago to 315 now and the number infected from 1 million to 1.4 million. And we still don't know if this is indeed swine flu.

Anonymous doctor said that the lungs of the corpse have gone coal-black in color. All these are reminiscent of the movie "Outbreak" or the book "The Coming Plague".

Outbreak (Snap Case)

The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance

Hope this is just a scare!!