Where is the Flu?

[gk10002000]

Last year, 34,000 Americans died from the flu.  Has any body seen any numbers about flu deaths this year?  The media of course will hop on the new shiny thing, but did the old flu just go away?  I doubt it. 

[tribalfusion001]

Flu has taken the year the year off, probably will back next year after some well earned reat!

[torturedsole]

All diseases and medical conditions have disappeared with C19.  No more cancer patients or ingrowing toenails have been reported for the past five weeks.  

[scubascuba3]

Everyone claims to have Corona these days. To be fair with all the social distancing, masks and hand washing it's not spreading so easy

[sirineou]

Social distancing , facemasks , purell and other  hygiene practices have eradicated this season's common flu.  

[Relocated]

59 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Flu has taken the year the year off, probably will back next year after some well earned reat!

So is global warming. Don't you think it is colder than last year?

[tonray]

The Flu has not entered Thaiiland simply because it could not acquire the $100K US CoronaVirus insurance

[Crossy]

19 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Social distancing , facemasks , purell and other  hygiene practices have eradicated this season's common flu.  

 

I'd go along with this, a welcome side effect of the C19 pandemic.

[tribalfusion001]

33 minutes ago, Retarded said:

So is global warming. Don't you think it is colder than last year?

It was quite hot in BKK last month and it's above average temperature where I live in the UK now.

[LomSak27]

Concerned about the common flu are you?

Why not compare it to the Wuhan virus. Note, I am using the 17/18 flu season which was a real bad one. Far worse than last years. 

 

The common flu has a huge death toll, BUT it infects massively huge number of people. The death rate or mortality rate is not so bad. BTW Its mortality is centered around but not exclusive too the elderly or very young. However, compare the Wuhan virus and common flu using the 2017/18 flu season statistics from the US.

 61,000 dead / 45,000,000 infected by the flu 2017/18 flu season.  figures rounded down(!)
To ---
45,297 dead / 824, 698 infected by the Wuhan virus, yesterdays count --- (US Statistics)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

If the Wuhan virus infected as many people as the common flu did in 2017/18, you would have a death toll of 2,454,000.  As the Wuhan virus is easily transmittable, it could happen. Yes, It is ok to say Holy Excrement now. 

 

 People who say; 'well look at how many die in flu deaths per year or how many died in car crashes, heart attacks, balcony jumps' ... whatever, are deliberately NOT mentioning the IF THEN part of the equation. IF you have an equal number of infections as the common flu, (or whatever you are comparing it to), THEN how many would the Wuhan virus kill? In this case; Two million four hundred and fifty-four thousand. Impressive. 

 

As for the common flu this year, I bet with self isolating and masks, flu numbers will be way down.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by LomSak27

[1FinickyOne]

9 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

THEN how many would the Wuhan virus kill? In this case; Two million four hundred and fifty-four thousand. Impressive. 

And not sure if you are taking into account the exponential growth as Covid-19 spreads so easily - - highly contagious and shows no symptoms for a couple of weeks, often times.. 

[RJRS1301]

The numbers will be down due to social distancing, self isolation, better standard hygiene, and probable higher uptake of seasonal flu vaccine.

People possibly not seeking medical assistance could also be a factor, due to fear of attending medical appointments

[Sharp]

As anyone notice the infections are diagnosed as coronavirus (which is a form of flu)

 

Not many Corvid 19 deaths are being recorded. (mistake who knows)

 

This was noted by a Dr in the US.

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Everyone claims to have Corona these days. To be fair with all the social distancing, masks and hand washing it's not spreading so easy

As would be the case with the flu if everyone did the same, i.e. social distancing, hand washing, and apply hygiene every single day.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, RJRS1301 said:

The numbers will be down due to social distancing, self isolation, better standard hygiene, and probable higher uptake of seasonal flu vaccine.

People possibly not seeking medical assistance could also be a factor, due to fear of attending medical appointments

I also read a document from some journal the other day saying that they found out why it spread so easily, in 59% of the cases, it was from asymptomatic people, now let people back into society under normal terms and the spread will be like wildfire, we all have to keep up our social distancing and hygiene when they lift the restrictions.

 

Let us all remember why they are going to lift the restrictions in part starting from 1 May lets assume, because people need to make money to survive, without economies you will have blood baths and my biggest fear is it will keep spreading as people relax, so let's hope the Holy Grail vaccine is not to far away.

[owl sees all]

In some states in US, hospitals who treat C-17 patients get a gov' handout of 30k USD. If they then die, that jumps up to 40k USD. Someone being admitted from the 'flu, is only worth 4k USD.

 

Best way to eradicate 'flu. Pay the hospitals not to record it.

[Greg O]

Time to get out of the sun, I detect high instances of heat stroke ...The seasonal flu is also very Asymptomatic with a high percentage of Asymptomatic people that never incur symptoms but spread the disease. It transmits the same way as Covid 19. That was the big concern in the USA about overwhelming health care since there was a large flu outbreak last December. In reality other than in New York the hospitals are sparsely populated as they've cancelled all ( non essential procedures) <deleted> does that mean ?Doctors and nurses are sitting idle waiting with flamethrowers for the Locust invasion that hasn't come. I think if you're afraid to go out then great, stay home till rainy season is over but wear your mask and wash wash wash .....55

[chessman]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

In some states in US, hospitals who treat C-17 patients get a gov' handout of 30k USD. If they then die, that jumps up to 40k USD. Someone being admitted from the 'flu, is only worth 4k USD.

You can see a more sober analysis of this here on this fact checking website. https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/hospital-payments-and-the-covid-19-death-count/

The minnesota state senator whose interview seemed to start this line of thinking doesn't actually think hospitals are misclassifying cases for financial reasons. Covid cases only earn hospitals 20% more than like-for-like similar non covid cases, and for hospitals the extra 20% doesn't make up for the elective surgeries they had to cancel.

 

It's true as well there are other countries in the world that have different medical systems and ways of financing them and they also are getting many cases. Some of these countries have a higher rate of infection than the US

[otherstuff1957]

As others have pointed out, the measures that inhibit the spread of Covid19 also inhibit the spread of the flu.  Also, flu is very temperature sensitive and the 'flu season' in the temperate zone is mostly over now.  Here is the weekly data for the US from the CDC:

 

[RJRS1301]

6 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

I also read a document from some journal the other day saying that they found out why it spread so easily, in 59% of the cases, it was from asymptomatic people, now let people back into society under normal terms and the spread will be like wildfire, we all have to keep up our social distancing and hygiene when they lift the restrictions.

 

Let us all remember why they are going to lift the restrictions in part starting from 1 May lets assume, because people need to make money to survive, without economies you will have blood baths and my biggest fear is it will keep spreading as people relax, so let's hope the Holy Grail vaccine is not to far away.

It is crucial that social distancing remains for the foreseeable future, it is highly likely that there will be increase in diagnosis both both seasonal flu and Covid19. Hand hygiene should become and should always have been the standard for all. Gloves give people a false sense of security, and they are generally not changed after handling money. food, cutting equipment. Protocols for face masks if they are used should be widely distributed and adhered to   

[Hanaguma]

Gotta also remember that the number of people who are actually carrying the Corona virus is unknown. Recent testing in California and other areas shows that perhaps 50 times MORE people actually are Corona carriers/survivors than previously thought- up to 4% of the population carried the coronavirus antibody but were never seriously ill. This revised the mortality rate of coronavirus to between 0.12 and 0.2 percent. Usual flu is 0.1 percent. So corona is bad, but not bubonic plague level.

 

Also the whole "death lottery" going on may be seriously over reporting as well.  

[Stevemercer]

Plenty of colds and flu remaining to go around. In my household there are the regular bouts of colds etc. Except it could be mild Covid. Who knows?

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, Hanaguma said:

Gotta also remember that the number of people who are actually carrying the Corona virus is unknown. Recent testing in California and other areas shows that perhaps 50 times MORE people actually are Corona carriers/survivors than previously thought- up to 4% of the population carried the coronavirus antibody but were never seriously ill. This revised the mortality rate of coronavirus to between 0.12 and 0.2 percent. Usual flu is 0.1 percent. So corona is bad, but not bubonic plague level.

 

Also the whole "death lottery" going on may be seriously over reporting as well.  

Most authorities are realistically concerned about the overwhelming impact on the health systems, the availability of resources, human and equipment, and a system collapsing due to the high contagion rate and need for treatment and hospitalisation 

 

[Mavideol]

was waiting for Fox news reports as they are the specialists on flu and vaccines related matters

[mrfill]

9 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Concerned about the common flu are you?

Why not compare it to the Wuhan virus. Note, I am using the 17/18 flu season which was a real bad one. Far worse than last years. 

 

The common flu has a huge death toll, BUT it infects massively huge number of people. The death rate or mortality rate is not so bad. BTW Its mortality is centered around but not exclusive too the elderly or very young. However, compare the Wuhan virus and common flu using the 2017/18 flu season statistics from the US.

 61,000 dead / 45,000,000 infected by the flu 2017/18 flu season.  figures rounded down(!)
To ---
45,297 dead / 824, 698 infected by the Wuhan virus, yesterdays count --- (US Statistics)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

If the Wuhan virus infected as many people as the common flu did in 2017/18, you would have a death toll of 2,454,000.  As the Wuhan virus is easily transmittable, it could happen. Yes, It is ok to say Holy Excrement now. 

 

 People who say; 'well look at how many die in flu deaths per year or how many died in car crashes, heart attacks, balcony jumps' ... whatever, are deliberately NOT mentioning the IF THEN part of the equation. IF you have an equal number of infections as the common flu, (or whatever you are comparing it to), THEN how many would the Wuhan virus kill? In this case; Two million four hundred and fifty-four thousand. Impressive. 

 

As for the common flu this year, I bet with self isolating and masks, flu numbers will be way down.

 

 

Tripe.

For a start, the '1917' flu. I assume you mean the so called 'Spanish flu' outbreak in January 1918. That occurred during a world war where thousands of troops were closely packed in trenches with no sanitation, masks or social distancing. Rather unlike today. By August 1918, just as people thought it was finished, a second more powerful wave spread. This was helped by many infected troops being repatriated as the war was coming to an end and consequently it infected their home countries more. The armistice was signed in November 1918 after which the remaining infected troops returned home and the outbreak continued until late 1920. Actual figures for infections are vague to say the least. Wiki suggests a third of the world were infected (500m) and there were between 17 and 50 million deaths - that's about as vague as you can get!

 

The 1918 flu was particularly serious as it unusually affected young adults badly. Not as you suggest.

 

Covid may well have infected huge numbers - it could be 90% and if 89.9% are asymptomatic, it is not so important. Unfortunately even the best tests are not 100% accurate - 95% would be regarded as excellent but means 5% could be misdiagnosed as being clear when they are not. Cheaper tests have lower accuracy (I saw some were reckoned to be only 55% accurate which rather stretches the meaning of 'accurate' and would be worse than useless).

 

People are still dying of influenza and without proper testing, would be registered as an influenza or pneumonia death rather than a covid19 death, even if they were riddled with it. 

As flu and covid19 are transmitted the same way, precautions are similar except this year vast numbers are now wearing masks and washing hands frequently, which would slow any flu outbreak, just as it appears to slow covid19 spread, so I would certainly agree that the 2020 flu death figure is likely to be lower.

 

Comparing deaths by all reasons may give a slightly better insight. For example, Ecuador has reported only 530 deaths countrywide. However, the government said 6,700 people died in Guayas province in the first two weeks of April, far more than the usual 1,000 deaths there in the same period. (Guayas is home to Guayaquil - a key port and the part of the country worst-hit by Covid-19.). Without testing or even a half decent health system, the extra 5700 get reported as pneumonia or whatever. And that is just one province. Its a big mess...

[Krataiboy]

8 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

I also read a document from some journal the other day saying that they found out why it spread so easily, in 59% of the cases, it was from asymptomatic people, now let people back into society under normal terms and the spread will be like wildfire, we all have to keep up our social distancing and hygiene when they lift the restrictions.

 

Let us all remember why they are going to lift the restrictions in part starting from 1 May lets assume, because people need to make money to survive, without economies you will have blood baths and my biggest fear is it will keep spreading as people relax, so let's hope the Holy Grail vaccine is not to far away.

Keeping the old folk out of harm's way should be the No. 1 priority. They account for the vast majority of COVID 19 deaths. That's why the longer school's out, the better for Thailand, with so many generations often living under one roof.

 

The chances of contracting this coronavirus are low, so long as one behaves sensibly and defensively. In any case, the vast majority of folk under pensionable age who become infected are likely to suffer only mild symptoms - and the overall recovery rate is in excess of 90 percent. 

 

Be careful what you wish for in terms of a vaccine. History demonstrates they are not always safe or even totally effective against a rapidly-mutating virus such as this. Just look at how many people go down with influenza each year, despite countless millions across the world receiving annual flu vaccinations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by Krataiboy

[HHTel]

Seasonal 'flu deaths this year :  151,544

Seasonal 'flu deaths today:  948

 

The 'flu season this year is expected to have deaths on the high side as the vaccine is not a great match for the current mutation.

 

Worldometers.

[SunsetT]

11 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

It was quite hot in BKK last month and it's above average temperature where I live in the UK now.

Winter in Nakhon Phanom was longer and cooler than last year....thankfully!

[Dap]

11 hours ago, Retarded said:

So is global warming. Don't you think it is colder than last year?

Da*N sure not in my neck o' the woods. Yesterday was 112F/34/5C! and 90F @ 4 this morning. 

Nope, I can confirm heartedly, not colder than last year.

[natway09]

Coming soon in Thailand anyway,,,,,,,one week after the first real week of rain