WebProNews

Tag: Pandemic

  • Microsoft Beats Estimates, Powered by Strong Cloud Growth

    Microsoft Beats Estimates, Powered by Strong Cloud Growth

    Microsoft has announced its quarterly results, beating estimates as a result of its strong cloud growth.

    As the coronavirus pandemics has swept the globe, companies have been moving to the cloud in record numbers. This has enabled them to remain functional and productive, despite millions of American employees working from home. Microsoft, in particular, has benefited from this thanks to its complete technology stack—from local operating systems and office software, to full cloud platform.

    “The last five months have made it clear that tech intensity is the key to business resilience. Organizations that build their own digital capability will recover faster and emerge from this crisis stronger,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft. “We are the only company with an integrated, modern technology stack – powered by cloud and AI and underpinned by security and compliance – to help every organization transform and reimagine how they meet customer needs.”

    The company’s position helped it hit $38 billion in revenue, an increase of 13% over the year-ago-quarter. Its operating income was $13.4 billion and its net income was $11.2 billion.

    “Our commercial cloud surpassed $50 billion in annual revenue for the first time this year. And this quarter our Commercial bookings were better than expected, growing 12% year-over-year,” said Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft. “As we drive growth across the company, we remain committed to investing in long-term strategic opportunities.”

  • Google Rethinks Its Plans to Open Offices

    Google Rethinks Its Plans to Open Offices

    Google is pushing back its plans to reopen offices amid a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic.

    CEO Sundar Pichai had previously stated that offices would open on July 6. In recent weeks, however, several states have seen significant increases in the number of cases, with some also seeing increased hospitalizations.

    As a result, Google has pushed back its reopening date, saying that offices will remain closed until at least September 7. According to Bloomberg, Chris Rackow, Vice President of Global Security, informed employees via a memo.

    “While conditions do vary from state to state, we need to see that the U.S. outlook as a whole is stable before we move forward,” wrote Rackow. “As the recent resurgence of cases demonstrates, Covid-19 is still very much alive in our communities.”

    Many experts have said the pandemic would forever change how companies do business and interact with their employees. Some companies, such as Twitter, have said they plan on allowing employees to work from home forever.

    Only time will tell if Google is able to meet its new September 7 deadline, or if the pandemic will push it back even further.

  • Morocco Using Drones to Tackle Coronavirus Pandemic

    Morocco Using Drones to Tackle Coronavirus Pandemic

    In one of the more unusual use cases, Morocco is the latest country to turn to arial drones to help combat the coronavirus pandemic.

    One of the biggest challenges many governments face is trying to enforce social distancing and self-isolation. Together, the two measures have proven to be the most important factor in fighting the spread of the virus but, as the pandemic drags on, people inevitably grow weary of isolation and often start drifting back toward “normal.”

    According to the International Business Times, (IBT) Morocco is using drones to monitor citizens, making sure individuals are practicing social distancing. This includes being used to break up rooftop gatherings and other events that are currently illegal. Drones are even being used to spray disinfectant in an effort to sanitize public areas.

    “There is real demand,” said Abderrahmane Krioual, the head of Farasha, a startup that IBT reports has secured funding for drones that will specialize in arial disinfectant spraying, as well as thermal surveillance.

    This is just the latest example of how technology is being used and repurposed in innovative ways to combat the global pandemic.

  • Germany May Make Working From Home a Legal Right

    Germany May Make Working From Home a Legal Right

    German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil plans to put forth legislation that will make working from home a legal right, long after the coronavirus pandemic.

    As the pandemic has swept the globe, it has had a profound impact on businesses and organizations of all sizes. One of the biggest changes has been how employees work, with many working from home. Industry leaders have predicted at least some of these changes, including more flexible work-from-home policies, could be a permanent legacy of the pandemic, and it seems Minister Heil wants to help that happen.

    According to The Associated Press, Heil is going to unveil legislation that will require companies to gives workers whose jobs allow it the option to work from home if they want.

    “Everyone who wants to and whose job allows it should be able to work in a home office, even when the corona pandemic is over,” said Heil. “We are learning in the pandemic how much work can be done from home these days.”

    As Heil points out, the pandemic has forced companies to accommodate telecommuting and, in the process, they have learned just how productive employees can be. In addition, having fewer people in the office can translate to lower rent and utilities, as well as less commuting costs for employees. Reports have even show pollution has decreased as a result of more people working from home, making the environment another beneficiary of the trend.

    Here’s to hoping more governments pass similar legislation as that proposed by Minister Heil, and make working from home a legal right.

  • Google Displaying Coronavirus Testing Facilities in Search

    Google Displaying Coronavirus Testing Facilities in Search

    Google has upgraded its search to show coronavirus testing and health facilities in 43 states.

    With adequate testing being hailed as one of the single most critical factors to combating the pandemic and reopening the economy, finding a facility that offers testing can still be a challenge. Google is working to address that by listing testing facilities in its search results.

    At the same time, not all facilities will show up. According to a support page, Google is “working to make this information easily searchable on Google in a way that aligns with the local testing procedures and recommendations.” As a result, the company will only show facilities approved for publishing. Even so, according to The Verge, that still translates to over 2,000 facilities in 43 states. When searching for topics related to COVID-19, a “Testing” tab will appear on the left.

    Google’s move is just the latest example of how tech companies are on the forefront of fighting the pandemic.

  • SAP Co-CEO Jennifer Morgan Leaving Company

    SAP Co-CEO Jennifer Morgan Leaving Company

    SAP Co-CEO Jennifer Morgan is departing the company, leaving Christian Klein as sole CEO.

    Morgan has been with the company since 2004, and jointly held the role of CEO with Klein since October 2019. The company says that Morgan “mutually agreed with the Supervisory Board of SAP SE” to resign and depart, effective April 30. At the same time, the announcement makes clear that the current economic crisis was a driving factor, with the decision to get behind a single CEO being “taken earlier than planned to ensure strong, unambiguous steering in times of an unprecedented crisis.” A single CEO will give the company a clear, unified leadership structure.

    “I’d like to thank Jennifer for her partnership over many years,” said CEO Christian Klein. “Throughout SAP’s transformation, Jennifer has always been laser-focused on customers, partners, shareholders and employees. It’s thanks to her that we have established a strong position in experience management solutions. I know she will always be a champion of SAP.”

    “It has been a great privilege to drive SAP’s growth and innovation in so many areas and most recently as Co-CEO,” said Jennifer Morgan. “With unprecedented change within the world, it has become clear that now is the right time for the company to transition to a single CEO leading the business. I would like to thank Hasso Plattner for the opportunity to co-lead this great company, and I wish Christian, the Executive Board, and SAP’s talented team much success as they drive the company forward.”

    It will be interesting to watch SAP to see if the change has a noticeable impact on the company’s operations.

  • Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Individuals experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship are receiving threatening letters and being disconnected by their wireless providers.

    Last month the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled the “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” aimed at preventing individuals and small businesses from being disconnected from internet and wireless services during the pandemic. The pledge also called for providers to waive late fees. As countless individuals are working from home, as well as sheltering in place, the internet and wireless services are vital lifelines, providing a way for people to work, shop, study and keep in touch with loved ones. For unemployed individuals, internet access is a critical component to finding new work, or being able to take advantage of unemployment benefits.

    In spite of taking the pledge, however, NBC News is reporting that companies are disconnecting unemployed individuals. Verizon and T-Mobile have both stated that customers must be proactive in alerting them to their financial situation and inability to pay. Despite those statements, NBC cites multiple instances of individuals who attempted to do just that—and were reassured their service would remain intact—only to be disconnected anyway. In at least one instance, a Verizon customer was told it would cost $360 to reconnect service.

    The FCC acknowledged it has been receiving complaints of service shut-offs, with FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel calling the shut-offs “unacceptable.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy took things a step further, banning internet and phone companies from disconnecting customers during the pandemic.

    It’s truly disappointing that companies are reneging on their promise, especially during a time when phone and internet access could literally be the difference between life and death.

  • Jeff Bezos: Protecting Employees Might Involve ‘Regular Testing’

    Jeff Bezos: Protecting Employees Might Involve ‘Regular Testing’

    In a letter to shareholders, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said regular testing may be a critical component in protecting Amazonians.

    As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll, Amazon has become a critical lifeline for many individuals and organizations. The company recently hired an additional 100,000 warehouse workers, only to announce it would hire an additional 75,000 more to help keep up with demand.

    At the same time, the company is facing challenges keeping its workers safe. As workers become infected, there is an ever increasing threat of the virus spreading and shutting down entire warehouses and distribution centers, threatening the entire supply chain. To help reduce the risk, Amazon already has a team working on building out incremental testing capacity.

    “A next step in protecting our employees might be regular testing of all Amazonians, including those showing no symptoms,” writes Bezos. “Regular testing on a global scale, across all industries, would both help keep people safe and help get the economy back up and running. For this to work, we as a society would need vastly more testing capacity than is currently available. If every person could be tested regularly, it would make a huge difference in how we fight this virus. Those who test positive could be quarantined and cared for, and everyone who tests negative could re-enter the economy with confidence.

    “We’ve begun the work of building incremental testing capacity. A team of Amazonians—from research scientists and program managers to procurement specialists and software engineers—moved from their normal day jobs onto a dedicated team to work on this initiative. We have begun assembling the equipment we need to build our first lab and hope to start testing small numbers of our frontline employees soon. We are not sure how far we will get in the relevant timeframe, but we think it’s worth trying, and we stand ready to share anything we learn.”

    Bezos’ announcement is good news and will hopefully help ensure Amazon is able to keep its employees safe, and keep the supply chain running.

  • Cantor Fitzgerald Initiates Coverage of Zoom, Slack With Bullish Outlook

    Cantor Fitzgerald Initiates Coverage of Zoom, Slack With Bullish Outlook

    Financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald has initiated coverage of Zoom and Slack, giving both an Overweight rating.

    Zoom and Slack have been the darlings of the work from home era. Zoom is widely considered to have one of, if not the, best videoconferencing platforms that works equally well for large and small groups. Similarly, Slack is one of the most widely used chat platforms and has seen significant growth.

    According to Barron’s, Cantor analyst Drew Kootman set price targets of $150 and $30 for Zoom and Slack, respectively.

    “We believe the current Covid-19 environment presents significant upside potential not currently assumed in the stock,” Kootman wrote in a research note. “Zoom provides a superior communication platform in a time where video and connectivity is becoming more important for all industries and business sizes. We expect the virus to provide upside to estimates and for the platform and its products to drive increased market penetration and future cross-selling opportunities. We expect these impacts to continue to drive multiple expansion.”

    The coverage should be a boost to both companies and further reaffirms their status as the pandemic changes how Americans work.

  • Amazon Raises Warehouse Hires to 175,000

    Amazon Raises Warehouse Hires to 175,000

    Amazon announced it has hired the initial 100,000 warehouse workers it originally pledged, and is now hiring an additional 75,000.

    In the midst of the worst pandemic since the Spanish Flu, Amazon has been a lifeline for many individuals. The e-commerce giant has been struggling, however, to keep up with demand for groceries and basic necessities, even limiting fulfillment of non-essential items. In an effort to keep up, Amazon previously announced it would hire an additional 100,000 warehouse workers, even starting them at $2 an hour more than standard pay.

    Now the company has confirmed it has hired those initial 100,000 additional workers, and is expanding its hiring to include 75,000 more.

    “Today, we are proud to announce our original 100,000 jobs pledge is filled, and those new employees are working at sites across the U.S.,” reads the company’s blog post. “We continue to see increased demand as our teams support their communities, and are going to continue to hire, creating an additional 75,000 jobs to help serve customers during this unprecedented time. Interested candidates can apply at www.amazon.com/jobsnow.”

    Amazon’s announcement is good news for everyone concerned. The additional workers will help the company keep up with demand as the crisis drags on, while the new jobs will be a lifesaver to individuals whose livelihood is being impacted.

  • Apple and Google Working Together on Contact Tracing Tech

    Apple and Google Working Together on Contact Tracing Tech

    Apple has announced it is working with Google on contact tracing technology in an effort to stop the spread of the pandemic.

    Contact tracing involves tracing the contacts of an infected person, checking for further infections and tracing the ongoing and spreading network of contacts. In a press release, Apple described the initiative as “a joint effort to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the virus, with user privacy and security central to the design.”

    The two companies will launch an API and “operating system-level technology” that will play a role in the contact tracing. Both companies are committed to trying to protect user privacy. To aid in that goal, the project will be rolled out in two phases.

    “First, in May, both companies will release APIs that enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using apps from public health authorities,” the release continues. “These official apps will be available for users to download via their respective app stores.

    “Second, in the coming months, Apple and Google will work to enable a broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms. This is a more robust solution than an API and would allow more individuals to participate, if they choose to opt in, as well as enable interaction with a broader ecosystem of apps and government health authorities. Privacy, transparency, and consent are of utmost importance in this effort, and we look forward to building this functionality in consultation with interested stakeholders. We will openly publish information about our work for others to analyze.”

    According to information on Google’s blog, the apps will not collect personally identifiable information, and the list of people a user has been in contact with will not leave their phone. The apps will also not track location. Instead, the phones, using anonymous Bluetooth keys will keep track of the phones it has been in close proximity with. If someone tests positive, and updates the app accordingly, anyone who has been in close proximity will be notified that they have been exposed and need to take the necessary measures.

    There are still many details left to be fleshed out, but hopefully the two companies will live up to their promise of protecting user privacy. While Google does not have the best track record in this regard, Apple is one of the foremost privacy proponents. Hopefully Apple’s involvement will help ensure user privacy is truly respected.

    Image Credit: Apple

  • Microsoft Continues Cloud Hiring, Freezes Other Areas

    Microsoft Continues Cloud Hiring, Freezes Other Areas

    As the global pandemic continues to take its toll, Microsoft is freezing hiring for many roles, but is continuing to hire for its cloud division.

    According to a report, employees told Business Insider that “Microsoft is still hiring for roles within its massive cloud computing business, and the company was holding virtual hiring events for software engineers as recently as last week. Some groups, one employee said, are ‘prioritizing consumer-facing and critical roles.’”

    The news should come as no surprise, given the impact of the pandemic. As governments have called on individuals to social distance and stay at home, and as companies have sent their workers home with orders to telecommute, the cloud computing industry has entered its heyday. From Slack to Teams, Office 365 to Google Docs, Zoom to Skype, people are relying on cloud-based software and solutions like never before.

    In view of that, it makes sense that Microsoft would continue hiring for its cloud division. It’s likely that any increase in Microsoft’s cloud personnel will be permanent and far outlast the current crisis, due to the fundamental shift in the workforce the pandemic is causing. The longer it goes on, the more likely current telecommuting trends will become the norm, resulting in a permanent demand for cloud-based solutions.

  • Apple Creating Face Masks For Medical Personnel

    Apple Creating Face Masks For Medical Personnel

    Apple is turning its considerable resources and expertise to manufacturing face masks for medical personnel amid the ongoing crisis.

    CEO Tim Cook made the announcement on Twitter:

    Apple is dedicated to supporting the worldwide response to COVID-19. We’ve now sourced over 20M masks through our supply chain. Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers.

    — Tim Cook (@tim-cook) April 5, 2020

    In the video, Cook says the face shields pack flat, assemble in less than two minutes and are fully adjustable. The company has already delivered its first shipment to Kaiser hospital facilities in the Santa Clara Valley, to positive feedback from doctors.

    Apple plans to ship over one million by the end of this week, with one million being shipped every week after. Initially, distribution will be in the U.S., with hopes to expand worldwide.

    Cook makes it clear that, “for Apple, this is a labor of love and gratitude, and we will share more of our efforts over time.” The company is to be commended for the example its setting, one that hopefully many other companies will follow.

  • Google Employee Diagnosed With Coronavirus

    Google Employee Diagnosed With Coronavirus

    Despite limiting travel, an employee at Google’s Switzerland offices has been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

    According to a report by Business Insider (BI), Google informed employees via email that an employee in the Zurich offices had tested positive for the virus. However, the employee was not symptomatic while they were in the office.

    In a statement provided to BI, Google said: “We can confirm that one employee from our Zurich office has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. They were in the Zurich office for a limited time, before they had any symptoms. We have taken — and will continue to take — all necessary precautionary measures, following the advice of public health officials, as we prioritize everyone’s health and safety.”

    This is just the latest example of how the virus continues to impact industries, with experts warning of a possible pandemic. Japan recently began urging companies to allow their employees to telecommute and Amazon has begun relying on video interviews for some open positions.

  • Ebola Virus Survivors Face Stigma

    The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has infected more than 240 people so far, and has been fatal to over 145. Ebola results in death in 68% of all cases, though at times those who survive recover quickly and completely. Yet, survivors still face the challenge of social stigma in their communities, regardless of being completely healthy and free of the disease.

    For instance, a doctor who has survived a bout with Ebola was scheduled to give an interview on Guinean radio to describe his recovery, but the station would not allow him into the studio. Upon the doctor’s arrival at the station, the program director told a representative of Doctors Without Borders, “We’d prefer he speak by phone from downstairs. I can’t take the risk of letting him enter our studio.”

    Human-to-human transmission of Ebola occurs via direct contact with blood or bodily fluids from an infected person, or by contact with contaminated medical equipment such as needles. No cases of aerosol transmission have been reported, and a potential for widespread Ebola epidemics is considered to be low, due to the high fatality rate of the illness, along with the rapidity of demise of patients.

    The Guinean doctor who survived Ebola, who wished to remain anonymous, commented, “Thanks be to God, I am cured. But now I have a new disease: the stigmatization that I am a victim of. This disease (the stigma) is worse than the fever.” The doctor contracted Ebola while caring for an ailing colleague in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, but survived the onset of symptoms by staying hydrated.

    David Heymann, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, explained that the key to surviving Ebola is staying alive long enough for the body to build enough antibodies to stave off the virus.

    Regardless of being cleared of Ebola, the doctor commented, “Now, everywhere in my neighborhood, all the looks bore into me like I’m the plague.” Guinea’s Ministry of Health has stopped naming neighborhoods where Ebola outbreaks have occurred, in an effort to protect survivors from stigmatization.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ebola Outbreak Spreads To Liberia And Sierra Leone

    The outbreak that had medical officials scrambling in an effort to contain the Ebola virus which struck Guinea last week, is suspected to be spreading to outlaying areas.

    There are no known treatments or vaccines for the Ebola (hemorrhagic fever,) virus which kills up to 90 percent of those who become infected. Once humans are infected with Ebola, they become highly contagious and pass the virus on to others who come in close contact with them either by exposure to contaminated objects that carry bodily fluids or blood of the infected persons, or the infected persons themselves.

    Considered the biggest Ebola outbreak in seven years, which has claimed nearly 60 lives, and sickened hundreds, might have spread to Liberia and threatens Sierra Leone.

    Five people are suspected to have died from the disease in Lofa county in northern Liberia, Bernice Dahn, Liberia’s chief medical officer, said at a briefing today.

    “The forest region where Unicef delivered the emergency assistance on Saturday is located along the border with Sierra Leone and Liberia with many people doing business and moving between the three countries,” said Laurent Duvillier, a Unicef spokesman, in an e-mail today. “Risk of international spread should be taken seriously.”

    Unicef plans to dispatch 5 metric tons of aid, including medical supplies, to the worst-affected areas. Suspected cases of the lethal hemorrhagic disease were being investigated in Guinea’s southeast border areas, the World Health Organization said yesterday.

    “The three cases, which were registered in Conakry, have no link with Ebola,” Government spokesman Damantang Albert Camara said. “The analyses were made abroad. The outbreak of the disease may be heavier than 59 but the health ministry will release a statement on the disease soon.”

    The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring the situation and said that similar cases demonstrating symptoms have also been reported in nearby area of Sierra Leone.

    Dr. Brima Kargbo, the chief medical officer in Sierra Leone is currently investigating the case of a 14-year-old boy who died in the town of Buedu after returning from Guinea. In addition, Kargbo has dispatched a medical team to the town of Buedu to test anyone who came in contact with the 14-year-old boy prior to his death from Ebola viral hemorrhagic fever.

    Image via YouTube

  • A High Chance Of Pandemic From H7N9 Bird Flu

    A scientist with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science is concerned about a bird flu pandemic. Hualan Chen rushes to work everyday to check the number of new H7N9 cases that were recorded overnight.

    There was a bit of a scare in 2013, but then it quieted down, only to rear its ugly head with a vengeance again in December.

    Chen can hardly keep up with the new cases, stating, “I think this virus is a bigger problem than people realize. There is a high chance of a pandemic if it continues to spread because no one has immunity to this virus,” she told attendees at a recent conference. “If there is sustained human-to-human transmission, it won’t just be a problem for China, it will be a disaster for the world.”

    She’s not alone, health officials worry that the H7N9 cases in China are the beginnings of yet another pandemic, one for which the world is disturbingly unprepared. Although the public health community has been readying for The Next Big One, recent history shows that even smaller pandemics can cause serious problems.

    The 2009 mini-pandemic with H1N1 came from nowhere, and proved to the medical industry that the distribution of vaccines and antiviral medication was nowhere near effective.

    “Even just this little pipsqueak of an epidemic showed that we couldn’t get vaccines to the people who needed it in time, even in the US — the country with one of the most advanced health systems in the world,” says David Fedson, a retired infectious disease and vaccine expert from the University of Virginia. “The vaccine prevented maybe 2 to 4 percent of swine flu deaths.”

    So far, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 246 people primarily in China have been infected with H7N9, and nearly a quarter of them have died.

    What concerns health experts is that H7N9 meets two of the three conditions for becoming a pandemic—it is widespread among birds, and it can pass from birds to people.

    Hong Kong ordered the killing of 20,000 chickens from a primary poultry market, as one bird tested positive for H7N9. They have since banned live poultry imports. Shanghai is closing its live poultry markets for three months beginning in February.

    “Flu reminds us that we are all connected by the air we breathe,” says Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

    “There is no way for us to know if a pandemic will happen tomorrow or 10 years from now or never. But what we can do is be even better prepared than we have in the past if it happens.”

    A vaccine has been developed, but Frieden says it’s not very effective and may require more than one dose, which could complicate distribution if there were an urgent need to immunize the population.

    Image via YouTube

  • Flu Widespread – And Expanding Like Wildfire

    The H1N1 flu started with just two states that were seeing widespread symptoms. Texas is one, and apparently the source of where this flu seems to have begun its wrath.

    Last week – the flu epidemic had spread to 10 states of severe illness and hospitalization.

    As of today January 3rd, there are 25 states that have reported epidemic proportions of illness and the flu season has barely begun. Those states that have claimed widespread (widespread means over 50% of geographic regions) symptoms include:

    Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington state and Wyoming, according to the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control) weekly flu advisory report, covering the week ending December 28.

    Canada is seeing widespread flu as well.

    Thousands of people die every year from flu, which peaks in the United States between October and March, we’re not even halfway through this and we’re already seeing deaths and extreme illness, especially with the elderly and the young.

    “We are seeing a big uptick in disease in the past couple of weeks. The virus is all around the United States right now,” said Dr. Joe Bresee, chief of Epidemiology and Prevention in the CDC’s Influenza Division.

    Just in 2009 – 2012, the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, spread from Central Mexico to 74 other countries, killing approximately 284,000 people, according to the CDC.

    And what people don’t realize is that the vaccine, however safe it makes people feel, is not that effective.

    From Live Science: “Influenza is a mutating virus, and this feature is related to [its] genome structure; it has nothing to do with vaccines,” explained Mohammed Alsharifi of the Australian National University” who recently posted on PLoS ONE, an online journal. “[The concept of] antibiotic resistant bacteria cannot be applied to viruses.”

    While there is no vaccine for the current outbreak of H1N1 (swine flu), getting a yearly flu shot remains to be a good idea for everyone, not just the elderly. Yearly shots strengthen the immune system, providing at least a slight edge against new strains, because your body might recognize parts of that new strain.

    The best protection against antigenic shift is to keep live birds away from live pigs, since birds are the most common carrier of flu viruses …and from birds and pigs raised in cramped and stressful conditions that promote the spread of viruses.

    A vaccine or “flu shot” might make take the edge off of the flu, but it is not going to prevent you from getting this flu. Best to stay home to avoid getting sick, drink lots of vitamin C and fluids to build your immune system – eat right – and keep your hands clean.

    Image via Centers for Disease Control

  • Swine Flu (H1N1) An Epidemic In The U.S?

    The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) claim that the swine flu, known as H1N1 is spreading widely throughout the U.S. and has now extended into 10 states.

    This is the same flu that in 2009 was seen as a worldwide pandemic, which caused 12,000 American deaths. Apparently that flu, during peak flu season, has surfaced with a vengeance in parts of Texas and other northeastern and southern states.

    Health officials are still encouraging citizens to get a seasonal flu shot which after a couple of weeks will cause the patient to produce antibodies that will help fight off any exposure.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) are testing specimens of this virus and have discovered that 64 percent of these specimens tested positive for H1N1.

    The CDC reported that cases of influenza were widespread in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, Wyoming and Alaska; last week, just four states reported widespread outbreaks. Twenty-three more states have reported regional outbreaks.

    A wife in Texas who lost her husband to the virus said: “You don’t think it would happen to you, you know. We always worried about my son getting the flu shot. We’re never really worried about the two of us because you don’t really hear about any of this, you don’t think it will happen to you.”

    The H1N1 is a flu that starts in pigs, and eventually spreads to humans. Pigs kept in unsanitary situations, who are sickly are more prone to contracting the flu virus.

    According to the Humane Society of the U.S.- Dr. Michael Greger reports: The H1N1 swine flu virus may be “the product of intensive farming.” Factory farming and long-distance live animal transport apparently led to the emergence of the ancestors of the current swine flu threat.”

    Further, In early analysis of the H1N1 swine flu virus from human cases in California and Texas revealed that six of the eight viral gene segments arose from North American swine flu strains circulating since 1998, when a new strain was first identified on a factory farm in North Carolina.

    Those little viruses are smart – they figure out ways to mutate until they can latch onto something. Medical labs creating vaccinations have difficulty keeping up with their forever-changing attacks. As soon as an antibiotic is created that can create immunity the virus, it has changed again.

    In mid 1998, all through a North Carolina pig factory farm – thousands of pigs fell sick. Coughing was the sound you heard when walking through those dark filthy corridors. That was the start of the new strain of swine flu – a human-pig hybrid virus that had picked up three human flu genes. By the end of that year—a hybrid of a human virus, a pig virus, and a bird virus—triggered outbreaks in Texas, Minnesota, and Iowa.

    It’s back now – and with an even stronger force.

    Until human beings learn that farm animals cannot be condensed as they are – hundreds of thousands of them per warehouse – we’re breeding trouble. Not only do they remain sickly, confined and miserable, it is a breeding ground for deadly viruses.

    It is only a matter of time before the predicted major pandemic hits the U.S. and the world, similar to the one in 1919 that killed millions.

    The precautions of course are keeping your immune system healthy by eating healthy – and avoiding people who are sick. Wash your hands regularly and stay home if you are sick.

    Image via YouTube

  • New Bird Flu Infects First Human

    New Bird Flu Infects First Human

    Zoonosis occurs when a disease or sickness in a non-human animal is transmitted to a human being. Approximately 61% of 1415 pathogenic infections to human beings are zoonotic. The first case of a bird-to-human transmission of infection came in China in 1996. Since its inception, the H5N1 flu strain has killed more than 600 people, most of those residing in Asia. Over those 17 years, however, there have only been a few cases of avian flu infecting human beings, perhaps the most infamous being the H1N1 pandemic which broke out in 2009-10. However, there are now reports of a new strain infecting a human being.

    In May of this year, a 20 year old Taiwanese woman was hospitalized after displaying flu-like symptoms – short of breath, a high fever, and severe coughing. Upon noting the symptoms, the doctors prescribed the woman Tamiflu and other antibiotics, and then sent her on her way. After the Taiwanese Centre for Disease Control studied the results of her throat-swab, doctors had cause to sound the alarm. The woman’s sickness was identified as the H6N1 strain of avian flu, a disease which had been present in chickens on the island since the 1970’s but had yet to become zoonotic.

    Due to the potential severity of the illness, Taiwanese officials began investigating the origins of the flu and whether or not it was present in people who had been in contact with the 20 year old patient. Officials could find no immediate cause as to why or how the woman obtained the virus considering she worked as a clerk in a butcher shop and had no contact with live birds. In questioning 36 of her closest contacts, doctors only discovered flu-like symptoms in 6 people, none of which were infected with the H6N1 strain.

    When investigating this particular strain even closer, doctors discovered unsettling news – the virus had undergone a mutation in its haemagglutinin, a binding protein, allowing it to bind to human cells. ‘‘The question again is what would it take for these viruses to evolve into a pandemic strain?’’ questioned virologist Marion Koopmans, who works for the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands.

    Luckily, recent reports have been released which show progress being made toward developing effective antibodies and medicines to combat the bird flu. Swiss drug-maker Novartis and Rockville, Maryland biotech company Novavax have both conducted independent clinical trials in which they have seen successful results from vaccines engineered to actively combat the bird flu. The aim of the vaccine is to boost antibodies whose particular job would be to attack the H7 and N9 proteins which stick out from the rest of the bird virus. In the Novavax study, the vaccine produced antibodies fighting against the “H” protein at an 81% success rate and produced antibodies against the “N” protein at a 90% success rate.

    While none of the avian flu strains have yet to be transmitted from human-to-human, the threat always exists. The development of these new antibodies hopefully ensures that the end of the world will not be due to avian flu, but rather the zombie apocalypse, something we all know we truly want.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Scientists Engineer Deadly Bird Flu (H5N1), Say It Could Cause a Global Pandemic

    The results of a controversial scientific study was published yesterday outlining the dangers of a potential H5N1 outbreak.

    The virus in its current form cannot easily be spread amongst humans in its current form because it cannot travel through the air. So the reason for the study was to find out what changes in the H5N1 virus were necessary for it to become airborne and spread rapidly amongst humans. They genetically modified the virus to do just that, and found that it only required mutations in five locations for a contagious strain to emerge.

    The scientific team that made the discovery was lead by Ron Fauchier at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, who infected ferrets (ferrets can catch the same flu that humans do) with the virus that contained three engineered mutations. They found that once infected the virus underwent two additional mutations on its own and soon became airborne.

    Only 600 humans are known to have caught H5N1 in the last decade, but more than half died from it.

    Critics of this kind or research worry about inadvertent contamination or the possibility of a rogue scientist using it to create a biological weapon. Proponents believe genetic engineering is necessary to insure countermeasures are in place should an outbreak occur.

    [source: New York Times]