Saturday 25 July 2009

we must prepare sufficient burial sites

UK is already planning for 65,000 deaths this year, which is about
0.1% of the population.

At the rate at which Swine Flu spreads, this is not an unreasonable
estimate. Even in normal flu season, UK experienced thousands of
deaths. It is only that Swine flu will kill up to 20 times more than
usual but this is sufficient to swamp the burial sites.

Please note that the deaths due to normal flu is despite flu
vaccinations and antivirals also. Similarly for Swine Flu except that
it is 20 times more infectious and spreads faster, while having a much
higher fatality rate.

In Sabah, we should have about 3000 deaths. At Kota Kinabalu, it
should be about 1,000.

If you think our current quarantine procedures are good, please take
note that UK and USA also practises similar quarantine procedures,
closing entire schools that are affected and yet the death rate
continues.

China is different. It quarantines all entrances, unlike Malaysia, UK
and USA.

Just imagine 1000 deaths at the abandoned Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

If you think vaccinations work, please take note that vaccinations are
also used for normal flu with little effect, still killing millions
every year.

Vaccinations are useful for front-line workers. They are the ones who
are in contact with most people and will care for the sick that are
the most vulnerable to Swine Flu. WHO will give it for free.

In UK, flu vaccine costs 6 pound, equivalent to RM36 whereas in
Malaysia it will cost RM200. Why should it cost so much in Malaysia?

If it were to cost only RM40, many people can afford the vaccine.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/25/swine-flu-bodies-catacombs

Catacombs may be used to store bodies of swine flu victims

Exeter city council plans to use 19th century burial chambers as
emergency mortuary if pandemic worsens

* Buzz up!
* Digg it

* Staff and agencies
* guardian.co.uk, Saturday 25 July 2009 11.52 BST
* Article history

A city council is considering using 19th century catacombs to store
the bodies of swine flu victims if the outbreak worsens, it was
confirmed today.

Exeter city council has identified the empty underground burial
chambers, currently used as a tourist attraction, as a potential
mortuary.

A council spokesman said the plan would be implemented if the
crematorium and cemeteries could not keep up with funeral demands.

"We have some empty catacombs in an old cemetery in the city," he
said. "These are 19th century underground burial chambers which are
normally a tourist attraction. They can, however, be safely used for
their original purpose and allow us to temporarily store bodies in the
remote possibility that the need should arise."

So far at least 31 people have died in the UK after contracting the
virus. Yesterday, the World Health Organisation said 800 people had
now died worldwide from the H1N1 virus and as many as 2 billion people
could eventually be infected.

Doctors have warned that NHS intensive care wards could be overwhelmed
by severely ill swine flu patients if infection rates climb rapidly.

The growing pressure on critical care beds was underlined this week
when a pregnant 26-year-old was flown from a hospital in Kilmarnock to
Sweden for life-saving treatment because of a shortage of equipment in
Britain. Sharon Pentleton's family said she was gravely ill, but her
doctors believe she has a good chance of recovery.

According to Dr Alan Hay, director of the WHO's London-based world
influenza centre, the first wave of UK infections is likely to peak
within the next week or two before re-emerging in the winter.

Research published in the journal Anaesthesia suggests that when the
peak comes, demand for intensive care beds could outstrip supply
by130% in some regions, while the demand for ventilators could exceed
supply by 20 %. Paediatric facilities are likely to become "quickly
exhausted" as hospitals confront "massive excess demand", according to
experts in intensive care and anaesthesia from the University of
Cambridge, the Intensive Care Society and St George's Healthcare NHS
trust in London.

The Department of Health said the NHS was prepared for the pandemic.
"Guidance has been issued which contains information for primary and
secondary care services in the UK on managing surge capacity and the
prioritisation of services and patients during a widespread influenza
outbreak," a spokesman said.

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