Day 324

Democratic Republic of Congo

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, currently on a 7 nation tour of Africa, is in the DRC calling for the cessation of sexual crimes against civilians.  The estimates from the UN report that over 3,500 people have been victims of assault and is helping to spread HIV.  

Day 295

Day 269

Mattrixx Initiatives, Inc.

I first heard of Zicam, a Mattrixx Initiatives, Inc. cold remedy product, from my roommate who swore by its effectiveness to ward off colds.  It was very busy time leading up to our thesis exhibition and a cold was the last thing any of us needed.  Today in the news, the FDA issues a warning to the drug company to file a new application on the product after receiving 130 complaints regarding a anosmia, or loss of smell.  

Stocks for the company plummeted 70%.  

Day 263

World Health Organization- Flu Pandemic

The spread of the H1N1 flu virus to Australia triggers the World Health Organization to declare an official flu pandemic- the first in over 40 years.  

Ted Kennedy on Health Care

Democratic plans for revamping U.S. healthcare are taking shape, with Senator Edward Kennedy soon to announce a proposal which could form the core of the nation's new health system.

Kennedy, a Democratic stalwart whose thinking is widely believed to track that of President Barack Obama on healthcare, is expected to unveil a plan in early June that will include both a new government program to provide medical coverage for all as well as a mandate that every American acquire some form of health insurance.

The two elements -- government insurance and mandatory coverage -- have been hotly debated as Obama seeks to begin radically transforming the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare industry by the end of the year.

Day 239

WHO Let the Swine Out

In Japan, the number of swine flu cases hits 135 as 75 people report new infections.  Over 1,000 schools were closed near Osaka and Kobe to stop the outbreak. 

World Health Organization officials, meeting in Geneva for a week-long meeting of international health ministers’ Monday, said they were monitoring the situation in Japan. A W.H.O. spokesman, Dick Thompson, said there was still insufficient evidence that the disease was spreading in a sustained way among communities outside of North America, which would be required for the organization to raise its pandemic alert level to 6, the highest level.

Day 237

World Health Organization

Cases of Swine Flu have been reported in India and Turkey.  Persons identified with the H1N1 influenza strain were air passengers coming from the US.  

Thirty-eight countries have now confirmed cases of the new flu strain, a mix of swine, human and avian viruses, which last month prompted the World Heath Organization to raise its global pandemic alert level to 5 on a 6-point scale.

Day 235

No Smoking in North Carolina

The largest tobacco producing state, North Carolina,  is banning smoking in restaurants and bars.  I remember well when California banned smoking in 1995.  There are only 14 states left in the US that have no ban at all.  

Day 226

People's Republic of China

China is under criticism for quarantining 70 Mexican citizens in a Bejing hotel to contain the possible spread of the H1N1 "Swine Flu" virus.  With many incoming and outgoing flights cancelled, both countries chartered flights to pick up stranded tourists and bring them back to their respective homes.  

Day 222

H1N1

More cases of Swine Flu are surfacing around the country.  In my backyard, classes were suspended at Harvard Dental School after a student was diagnosed with the new strain of virus. It will be interesting to see if all the precautions we are taking will contain the spread.  

Day 216

Swine Flu

20 people have died as a result of the swine flu virus in Mexico City.  This new bred of flu virus is a combination of human, pig, and bird viruses.  The virus has also spread to 8 confirmed people living in California and Texas.