ver the coming days or even weeks (report). The increase in infection would most possibly lead to even more clusters being formed over time. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) as of 11th June has raised the flu pandemic alert level to phase 6 (report). It stands reason to speculate that the nature of global transit as it is contributes much to how the virus has been spreading. And with Singapore being a hub of sorts in terms of travel and transit for this region, as well as a country that encourages influx of foreign workers and students, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that this was going to happen sooner, rather than later. Not to mention that the period between the end of May and the end of June being the school holidays, it would make sense to speculate that most parents would bring their children overseas for some nice R&R as well. Though what remains a question, I feel anyway, is to what extent is this pandemic affecting our daily lives. In other words, how fatal is it and do I need to subscribe to the hypercondriac in me and wrap myself up in an anti-viral bubble.The current strain, referred to medically as the A(H1N1) is a subtype of the Influenza A virus, which is the predominant cause of influenza in humans. As it is never before encountered strain and a mutant hybrid of swine, avian and human strains the majority of the world's population would have little to no immunity against it (WHO report, Wikipedia article). The virus transmits as any other flu viruses. As of 19th June 2009, a grand total of 44287 people have been infected worldwide of which there were 180 deaths (report). Not quite as staggering a figure as compared to the Spanish flu outbreak back in 1918 (article). Much of this I believe is down to the improved hygiene practices amongst people all over the world as well as improved sanitary conditions over the last century or so. And though there are anti-viral medicine that works against this, the amount is limited and also limited to the ones in critical condition amongst the infected as well as those handling the infected (report). Perhaps much of the fear that is circulating out there is down to the fact that there are no vaccines available for this strain at this present moment (report). Although the WHO has assured the masses in the progress of the development of vaccines, the lack of one as well the sheer mass and weight in distributing the vaccines on a global scale, once developed, isn't quite as rosy a prospect as most laymen would hope it would be.
Even in Singapore, most general practitioners fall short in the requirements needed to diagnose and treat A(H1N1) cases and the numbers were only based on the 1,000 clinics that have registered under the Pandemic Preparedness Clinics plan (report). What with the ongoing Asian Youth Games, (website) of which the Prelimary football tornament is going on and upcoming major events, of which the Formula 1 Singapore Night Race (website) is one of them, one can only speculate that more spreading of this virus would occur before there is a reduction.
With all that said, I honestly do not believe that this is the onset of the super flu predominant in most apocalyptic, science fiction novels. Though this particular strain might be the bridge between such fiction and fact due to the ability of the virus to mutate given their surrounding conditions and interaction with other similar viruses as such was the fear during the bird flu [HPA(H5N1)] virus in the period of 2004 - 2007 (article).
Given all this, although my friends who are teachers by profession and their students would enjoy the extra week off, should it occur, I'm quite sure that they, like me, would much prefer that this pandemic begin to die down than anything else. Its all hand washing and sanitizers from now on. Now where's that Dettol spray.....
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