Swine Flu = Hoax Flu

News is just “news”… Not the absolute truth. Let’s put swine flu (H1N1) into perspective

O believers, if an evil-doer comes to you with some news, verify it (investigate to ascertain the truth), lest you should harm others unwittingly and then regret what you have done. (Surah Hujarat v 6)

DO NOT PANIC !!! But we are captivated by DRAMATIC headlines and catchy scare phrases like -

SA - Not enough drugs to handle a pandemic Swine Flu virus has swept the globe at “unprecedented speed,” Drug Companies Race To Produce Swine Flu Vaccine Roman Catholic Church Bans Handshakes As A Result Of Swine Flu Swine Flu Kills One In The Caribbean Swine flu may restrict some Hajj pilgrims

So we ignore the real issues

The Best Protection Apply the face mask correctly

“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” They caught us with Bird (Avian) flu and they doing it again

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF INFLUENZA A (HIN1)? Fever Headache Cough Sore throat Runny and stuffy nose Extreme fatigue Muscle aches Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (these symptoms may also occur, but are more common in children). Fever Headache Cough Sore throat Runny and stuffy nose Extreme fatigue Muscle aches Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (these symptoms may also occur, but are more common in children).

So …. Just about anyone could have Swine Flu

WHO ?  WHO also announced that it would stop giving figures on the numbers infected by the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, in order to allow countries to channel resources into close monitoring of unexpected developments and patterns in the spread of the disease.  It’s the first global flu epidemic in 41 years, as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere have climbed to nearly 30,000 cases at this time.  WHO Says Swine Flu Virus Could Delay World Economic Recovery

How do they verify it? Expensive and difficult nasal swab that requires special virology tests.

Deaths  816 deaths world wide in 160 countries  Europe 16,556 case with 34 deaths  'Given that countries are no longer required to test and report individual cases, the number of cases reported actually understates the real number of cases.'

How dangerous is it??

Odds of … # death by assault in your lifetime: 331/1 # death by falling : 250/1 # death by firearm: 325/1 # death by poison: 1,400/1 # death in a plane crash # death in a car crash: 5,000/1 (SA 2,700/1) # death by choking on food or something else: 5,000/1 # death by drowning: 9000/1 # death by murder: 20,000/1 (SA 1,800/1) # death by lightning: 71,000/1 # death by dog attack: 137,000/1 # death in the bathtub: 807,000/1 # death by a flood: 713,000/1 # death by falling out of bed: 2,000,000/1 # Odds of being killed in a terrorist WMD attack: 6,000,000/1

1,154 people died (worldwide) Odds 8’000’000/1

Yup, that’s right! You at a greater risk from drowning in a bathtub

Some other facts

 The regular run-of-the-mill strains of influenza kill more than 35,000 Americans every year  Bird flu – WHO reports (June 09) 436 cases and 262 deaths (was supposed to wipe us out)  More than 25m people have died from AIDS since 1981 (up to July 07)  1.6m died from TB in 2005  SARS (Severe Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome)– 167 deaths up to 2003 (was also supposed to kill millions)

Ignorance is a leading cause of death...

Why ?? Who benefits??

Some beneficiaries  Drug companies – more medications sold  Doctors – patients with mild cold will not ‘take any chances’  Medical institutions  Media – more interest = more sales  Some politicians

Only treatment Tamiflu (also the only treatment for bird flu)

Gilead Sciences inc Roche – manufacturers it under licence patent protection till 2016 Only licence for oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is to:

Tamiflu  USA ordered 25m doses  Total cost $2bn ($80 per course)  65 governments have ordered  Orders to 2008 – 200m doses  Price $70= R500 per course

So who makes the money??

Chairman of Gilead from Held major stocks

Donald Rumsfeld Former USA Secretary of Defence

How much money!!

 Bush authorised $1.7Bn to fight bird flu – 14% went to Gilead Inc.  Gilead shares rose 700% since 2005 (when stock markets fell 40%)  Total revenue for 2 nd quarter 09 up 29% over 2008  Net income for 2 nd quarter 09 = $571.4m ($434m 2008)  Royalties from Roche ($78.8m)  10% of every vaccine to Rumsfeld

So let’s understand..  Every month 50,000 people die from AIDS in South Africa  Every day nearly 1,600 people die from AIDS  Every year 18,000 people die on our roads  25,000 people are murdered  Every year 80,000 die of TB

But we are forced to focus on Influenza A (H1N1) Swine flu

Because the Powers Don’t make money from treating AIDS, TB, measles, malnutrition….

News is not necessarily news. But what they want us to know!!! Let’s use our common sense!!