April 29, 2009 – In response to an intensifying outbreak in the United States and internationally caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 5 on April 29, 2009. A Phase 5 alert is a “strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.”
The United States Government has declared a public health emergency in the United States. CDC’s response goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this emergency. CDC is issuing and updating interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation. CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. In addition, the Federal Government and manufacturers have begun the process of developing a vaccine against this new virus.
The world’s governments are racing to avoid both a Swine Flu pandemic and global hysteria as additional swine flu cases surfaced around the world. Although this is a new strain of the flu that has crossed over from being limited to infecting only swine and is now infecting humans and being spread by human to human contact, this particular strain does not appear to be severe. However, this could change as the virus may still be changing. The concern is that any new strain is most severe the first time it is encountered. We may be lucky this time.
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States |
# of |
Deaths |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Arizona |
1 |
||
|
California |
14 |
||
|
Indiana |
1 |
||
|
Kansas |
2 |
||
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Massachusetts |
2 |
||
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Michigan |
1 |
||
|
Nevada |
1 |
||
|
New York |
50 |
||
|
Ohio |
1 |
||
|
South Carolina |
10 |
||
|
Texas |
26 |
1 |
|
|
TOTAL COUNTS
|
109 cases
|
1 death
|
|
|
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection |
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The first outbreaks were confirmed in Mexico on April 13th. This past weekend, Mexico City, closed churches, markets and restaurants because more than 1324 people have been infected nationwide and there have been 22 confirmed deaths and 86 suspected deaths. Few people have ventured onto the streets since Sunday in Mexico City and many are now wearing face masks. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday confirmed a total of 257 human infections of swine flu, which were officially reported from 11 countries worldwide.
Of those cases, 109 were from 11 states in the United States, including one death, and 97 were from Mexico, including seven deaths, the UN agency said in a latest update.
Other countries that have reported laboratory-confirmed cases with no deaths include Austria (1), Canada (19), Germany (3), Israel (2), the Netherlands (1), New Zealand (3), Spain (13), Switzerland (1) and Britain (8).
CDC Warning
Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, predicted “We’re going to see more severe disease in this country.” At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.
The U.S. declared the situation a health emergency so that it could ship roughly 12 million doses of the flu-fighting drug Tamiflu from a federal stockpile to states in case they eventually need them. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas. For now however, the 20 confirmed cases of Americans who have been confirmed to have Swine Flu are recovering easily and don’t appear to be in serious danger.
World Health Organization Precautions
The World Health Organization and U.S. are following a playbook of precautions developed over the past five years to prepare for the next super-flu. The WHO on Saturday asked all countries to step up detection of this strain of A/H1N1 swine flu.
A potential pandemic virus is defined, among other things, as a novel strain that’s not easily treated. This new strain can be treated with Tamiflu (oseltamavir) and Relenza (zanamavir). However, in order to be effective these drugs must be taken within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms.
There is no vaccine against swine flu, but the CDC has taken the initial step necessary for producing one – creating a seed stock of the virus – should authorities decide that’s necessary. This year’s flu vaccine offers no cross-protection to the new virus, CDC officials said Sunday.
Should You Get a Rx for Tamiflu?
Tamiflu and Relenza, both appear to work against type A flus and may work against this new strain of the Swine flu virus, although clinical studies will need to be done to prove that they work. The supply of these flu drugs is already depleted and will likely be reserved for hospitalized cases and distributed by the State Health Departments of the states with active cases. There is no vaccine for this strain of human Swine flu.
Roche’s Tamiflu is the most effective known drug against Influenza Type A infections and the most frequently prescribed in America. It inhibits the enzyme neuraminidase that stops the virus from spreading, but must be taken within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms. The US has stockpiled 12 million doses of Tamiflu, which is just enough for 4% of the U.S. population. However, experts estimate that in order to stop the spread of an epidemic flu, the coverage will need to reach 20% of the population.
Tamiflu is generally well tolerated but can cause side-effects inlcuding mild-to-moderate nausea or vomiting in 10% of the population. The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, headache and fatigue. Other less common side effects may include bronchitis, sleeplessness and vertigo.
Are There Natural Treatments for Swine Flu?
The best way to prevent the flu is to keep your immune system strong. Remember that only 5-20% of Americans get the Flu, which means that 80-95% of Americans do NOT get the Flu every year. You can help your body do its job by keeping it well hydrated, eating healthy foods, avoiding sugary foods and getting lots of sleep. Avoid white flour and white sugar because as little as 100 grams of sugar can reduce your immune resistance by as much as 50% and last for 5 hours. Eat more immune boosting foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic and onions. Getting less than 7½ hours of sleep weakens your immune system too, so make sure you get plenty of sleep during the winter months.
Dr. Hansen recommends taking PhytoBiotic and Oscillococcinum® for the treatment of all forms of the flu, including Swine Flu and Bird Flu. PhytoBiotic contains a natural neuraminidase inhibitor similar to the drug Tamiflu.
| Is there a Natural Alternative to Tamiflu? | |
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Rather than prescribing the drug Tamiflu, Dr. Hansen prescribes an herbal formula known as Phytobiotic. This unique herbal formula that contains the herb Elderberry, which works like Tamiflu to inhibit the enzyme neuraminidase, but without the side effects. Phytobiotic also contains Andrographis, Echinacea, Atragalus and Goldenseal, which make the formula effective against a broad spectrum of viruses, bacteria and fungal organisms, because you can’t always tell what is causing your symptoms. |
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Sources: J Int Med Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;32(2):132-40.Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections; J Altern Complement Med. 1995 Winter;1(4):361-9. Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L.) during an outbreak of influenza B Panama.
Additional PhytoBiotic Ingredients
Andrographis paniculata is used in China as an official medicine for inflammation, colds, fevers, laryngitis and diarrhea. In a recent double blind placebo controlled study performed in Sweden, 85 mg taken three times daily for five days significantly reduced symptoms of the common cold and sinusitis, as well as time off work.
Echinacea angustifolia (Purple Coneflower). In spite of one recently reported, poorly designed study that used only one-third of the appropriate dose in the treatment protocol, Echinacea has been previously proven in multiple studies to contain a wide array of active immune stimulating components that enhance immunity against several viruses including influenza, Epstein-Barr virus & herpes virus. Echinacea has been shown to prevent colds, upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and other infections.
Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) has been shown to increase Macrophage phagocytosis (the engulfing or “eating” of solid material, e.g. bacteria, allergens, and immune complexes) within six hours of treatment and last for more than 72 hours. It has also been shown to increase Interleukin-2 activity ten fold, stimulate T-Cells in healthy animals and restores immune function in cancer patients.
Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) extract exhibits a broad spectrum of antibiotic activity. The berberine in Goldenseal appears to inhibit the adhesion of bacteria to host cells and prevent their growth. Berberine has been shown to be 3 times more effective at lowering fevers than aspirin in rats. It has shown activity against bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, including Staphylococcus, Streptomyces, Chlamydia, Corynebacterium diptheria, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typlhi, Vibrio cholerae, Diplococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas, Shigella dysenteriae, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia, and Candida albicans.
How much Phytobiotic should be taken?
For prevention of Colds and Flus, Dr. Hansen recommends 1 Capsule twice daily for children and 2 Capsules twice daily for adults. For active symptoms or infections, Dr. Hansen recommends 2 Capsules 3 times daily for children and 3 Capsules 3 times daily for adults.
For children who cannot swallow pills, Dr. Hansen recommends liquid Elderberry and Wild Cherry: 2 ml twice daily for prevention and 4ml 3 times daily for treatment.
What is Oscillococcinum®? 
Oscillococcinum® is the number one Over-The-Counter Flu medicine in France. Oscillococcinum is a 200c dilution of an autolysate of Barbary duck liver and heart. It was introduced in the 1930’s by Dr Joseph Roy, who believed that it contained a microbe that caused influenza. Dr. Roy’s theory has now been shown to have merit since birds have been shown to be a major reservoir of human influenza viruses.
The effectiveness of Oscillococcinum has now been confirmed by a several double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trials published in the Lancet, the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and others. Eighty percent of patients treated with Oscillococcinum reported a successful outcome (vs 38% of the placebo group). Full recovery from flu symptoms within 48 hours was 66% greater in the Oscillococcinum group than in the placebo group.
How is Oscillococcinum taken?
Oscillococcinum is a homeopathic medicine in tiny granules. It should be dissolved under the tongue. Dr. Hansen recommends that everyone take a preventive dose of Oscillococcinum as soon as possible in light of the possible Swine Flu pandemic. Dr. Hansen says, “Oscillococcinum is the most effective flu remedy ever discovered. It works quickly to stop flu symptoms within hours, if taken at the onset of the first symptoms of the flu, including the general malaise, body aches, chills and fever. Most patients only need to take one or two doses and the flu just seems to vanish.”
For active infections: Dr. Hansen tells his patients to take the following dosage: for adults and children over the age of 12, dissolve the entire contents of one tube under the tongue every 6 hours, up to 3 times per day for two days. For children 12 and under, take ½ the adult dose.
For more information about PhytoBiotic and Oscillococcinum, click here.
Natural Remedies For Young Children: For children who cannot swallow pills, Dr. Hansen recommends the homeopathic flu remedy described above known as Oscillococcinum (os-sill-o-cox-see-num) and 3 ml of liquid Elderberry + Echinacea, or Elderberry + Wild Cherry bark, if they have a cough, 4 times daily.
What are H1N1 Swine flu Symptoms?
Flus generally comes on suddenly, and symptoms include fever, chills, headache, body aches, and cough. Additional symptoms of the H1N1 Swine flu include vomiting and diarrhea. The most frequent complication of the flu is pneumonia. Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) and worsening of chronic lung diseases may also occur in the elderly.
Symptoms of the H1N1 Swine Flu:
- rapid onset
- fever & chills
- headache
- body aches / soreness
- extreme tiredness
- dry cough
- vomiting
- diarrhea
Take charge of your health!
You can prevent the flu naturally by keeping your immune system healthy and strong. Remember that 80-95% of the population does NOT get the Flu, even during the worst epidemics or pandemics. You can boost your immune resistance by keeping well hydrated, eating healthy foods, avoiding sugary foods and getting lots of sleep.
Dr. Hansen recommends taking PHYTOBIOTIC every day during a flu epidemic to help minimize your risk. The recommended adult dose is 2 capsules twice daily as prevention and 3 capsules three times daily for treatment. For children old enough to swallow capsules, Dr. Hansen recommends 1 capsule twice daily for prevention and 2 capsules three times daily for treatment of a flu. Additionally, Dr. Hansen recommends taking one dose of Oscillococcinum for prevention.
Should you get any symptoms of the flu Dr. Hansen recommends starting Oscillococcinum as soon as possible and taking a dose every 6 hours for while awake. Taking these natural precautions will give your family a healthy edge to fight the Swine flu. If however, you get the flu and symptoms do not improve within 24 hours you should seek the advice of a physician.
*This structure/function claim has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.