With 20 Sick, US Declares Swine Flu Emergency

Misuse of antivirals by panicked public could breed stronger strains of disease

(NEWSER) - Pharmacies are stocking up on Tamiflu and other anti-influenza drugs as fears grow of a swine flu outbreak, but health officials warn that the antivirals could do more harm than good if administered incorrectly. Taking the drugs in the wrong dose or for too short a time can lead to the development of new, drug-resistant strains, reports the Los Angeles Times. More»

(NEWSER) - The H1N1 virus can more easily infect the lungs than the common seasonal flu, a new study finds, making it more likely to cause pneumonia. What’s more, the present virus bears troubling resemblance to the 1918 strain that killed more than 40 million people worldwide. The study also shows that people who survived the 1918 pandemic have an antibody response to H1N1, indicating that their body "remembered" it, MSNBC reports. More»

Health ministers from 13 countries pledge increased cooperation

(NEWSER) - Health chiefs from 13 Asian countries met in Bangkok yesterday to hammer out a unified response to the H1N1 virus, Reuters reports. The ministers pledged to step up cross-border cooperation, establish joint response teams, and share essential supplies. A statement called for Asia to establish the capacity to produce vaccines, which are primarily made in Europe and North America. More»

Mexico cuts flu death toll; virus fails to spread in flu-hit US cities

(NEWSER) - Officials in Mexico and the US remain cautious about the swine flu outbreak but say it appears to be less of a threat than first thought, the New York Times reports. In Mexico, less than half of suspected cases have turned out to be the H1N1 virus, very few relatives of victims have been infected and the estimated death toll has been cut to 101. More»

Calderón orders citizens to stay home for 5 days

(NEWSER) - The Mexican president told citizens to stay home tomorrow through May 5 for a five-day partial shutdown of the country's economy to reduce the risk of spreading swine flu, Reuters reports. In his first televised address since the outbreak, Felipe Calderón said that "there is no safer place than your own home," and ordered non-critical government offices and private businesses to shut. More»