https___rgs.netcprev.co.uk_schools_teaching-resources_the-geography-of-science_swine-flu-an-over-reaction_.xml
https___peoplenepal.com__E0_A4_95_E0_A4_BE_E0_A4_A0_E0_A4_AE_E0_A4_BE_E0_A4_A1_E0_A5_8C_E0_A4_82_E0_A4_AE_E0_A4_BE-_E0_A4_AB_E0_A5_87_E0_A4_B0_E0_A4_BF-_E0_A4_B8_E0_A5_8D_E0_A4_B5_E0_A4_BE_E0_A4_87_E0_A4_A8-_E0_A4_AB__1.xml
1.1 2.1 3.1 4.1 5.1 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 7.1 7.2 7.3 8.1 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 10.1 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 12.1 13.1 13.2 13.3 15.1 17.1 19.1 21.1 22.1 23.1 23.2 24.1 24.2 24.3 25.1 26.1 26.2 26.3 27.1 28.1 29.1 29.2 29.3 30.1 32.1 34.1
Swine flu: an over-reaction? What is the distribution of the swine flu pandemic? How have the media portrayed the pandemic? Swine flu has resulted in far fewer worldwide deaths than other diseases What is the distribution of the swine flu pandemic? Swine flu is a topical example of a flashpoint. That is to say, it is a major world event that has impact on a large number of people across the globe. This lesson explores the distribution of the swine flu pandemic and questions whether some media portrayals of the pandemic have been exagerated and biased. It also considers the impact of swine flu in the UK. The distribution of the swine flu pandemic, at the time of writing, was concentrated in North America, Central America (notably Mexico), South America, UK, Australia and New Zealand. There were also notable, but fewer, numbers affected in Asia (including Thailand, China and the Philippines). The BBC website is a good source of information for the latest facts and figures on the pandemic. How have the media portrayed the pandemic? News reports in the UK, especially during the initial stages of the swine flu outbreak predicted huge death tolls in the UK due to swine flu (see this Metro article Swine flu could kill up to 120 million). This arguably resulted in unnecessary panic about the disease and its potential threat on the population. As a result doctors' surgeries and NHS Direct services were inundated and could barely cope with the influx of cases and queries. In addition, work places saw surges in sick days as people feared they may have swine flu. The media is certainly an important source of information. Newspapers, television reports, internet sources as well as on-line chat rooms and forums have all had a part to play in spreading information about swine flu. Worldwide deaths from swine flu In reality, in the UK, as of the 30 July 2009, 11,159 people had been affected by swine flu and 30 people had died. When these figures, or indeed the world affected figures (340,000 laboratory confirmed cases worldwide as of 27 September 2009) are compared with other major world diseases such as seasonal flu, malaria, TB or even deaths due to road traffic accidents, the numbers remain (at the time of writing) to be relatively low. This is not to say that swine flu is not a significant health emergency. Swine flu continues to impact many people worldwide and has the potential to kill many people. However a realistic perspective is required. By examining bias, students are able to formulate their own opinions and gain a balanced perspective. What is the worldwide distribution of the Swine Flu pandemic? Go to Google Maps and type 2009 H1N1 Flu Outbreak Map. Using Google Maps, write a description of the worldwide distribution of the swine flu pandemic. Alternatively answer the following questions: Which three countries have been most affected by swine flu? Which regions have been most affected by swine flu? Which regions have been least affected by swine flu? Does anything surprise you about the distribution of swine flu? Swine Flu: balanced reporting? The general public in the UK learnt and gained further information about swine flu and its spread mainly through the media via television, newspapers and the internet. Some might argue that the general public reacted with alarm and panic due to the way the media has portrayed the pandemic. This activity explores how the swine flu pandemic has been reported by the media. There are three activities in this section. You may need more than one lesson to complete these tasks. You have access to four news reports (two written and two videos). In pairs or groups pick one or two reports and examine how they are written. Consider whether the phrases, pictures and information used in these reports is likely to cause public panic. Are some reports more likely to cause public panic than others? Once you have read/watched your chosen report(s), fill in the table on the resource sheet entitled Swine Flu through the media. But how serious is/was Swine flu? Having read/seen the news reports, it might seem that swine flu is/was an impeding catastrophe. But how serious is/was it? Look at the resource sheets entitled Swine Flu in Perspective and Swine flu - it is all in the balance and write a short news article to achieve a more balanced perspective on the Swine Flu pandemic. For the final part of this lesson, look at the following statements and try to create a more balanced response: The sudden rise in Swine flu may trigger a pandemic that could wipe out 120 million people, an expert warned (The Metro, 22 April, 2009) Swine flu could kill 65,000 in the UK, warns chief medical officer (The Guardian, 16 July, 2009)
1.1 2.1 3.1 4.1 5.1 6.1 7.1 8.1 9.1 10.1 11.1 12.1 13.1 14.1
१३ असार, काठमाडौं । काठमाडौंमा फेरि स्वाइन फ्लू भेटिएको छ । कुलेश्वरकी ३८ वर्षीया महिलाको रगतमा स्वाइन फ्लूको एच् वान् एन् वान् भाइरस भेटिएको हो । रगत परिक्षण गर्दा स्वाइन फ्लूको संक्रमण देखिएको टेकुस्थित शुक्रराज ट्रपिकल तथा सरुवा रोग अस्पतालका चिकित्सक तथा सरुवा रोग विशेषज्ञ डा. शेर बहादुर पुनले जानकारी दिए । रुघाखोकी, ज्वरो तथा स्वास फेर्नमा कठिनाई भएपछि उनी अस्पताल भर्ना भएकी थिइन् । ‘स्वाइन फ्लू हो कि भन्ने शंका लागेर रक्त परीक्षण गर्दा पुष्टि भयो र तत्काल अस्पताल भर्ना गरिएको हो’, डा. पुनले बताए । डा. पुनका अनुसार २/३ दिनदेखि रुघा, खोकी तथा हल्का ज्वरोसहितका लक्षण लिएर अस्पताल आउनेको संख्या बढेको छ । स्वाइन फ्लूकै संक्रमणका कारण यस वर्ष अस्पताल नै भर्ना भएकीे उनी दोश्रो हुन् भने यस मौसममा पहिलो हुन् । यसअघि गत वैशाखमा स्वाइन फ्लूको संक्रमणकै कारण ३० वर्षीय एक पुरुष अस्पताल भर्ना भएका थिए । ज्वरो सहित छाती दुख्ने समस्या भएपछि उनी अस्पताल भर्ना भएका थिए । उनीसँगै अन्य आधा दर्जन मानिसमा पनि स्वाइन फ्लूको संक्रमण देखिएको थियो र त्यसमध्ये तीन जनाले विभागबाटै औषधि समेत लगिसकेको चिकित्सकको भनाई छ । ‘अहिले रोग संक्रमण दर धेरै हुने समयमा फाट्पुट् रुपमा इन्फ्लुएञ्जा भाइरसको संक्रमण देखिनु सामान्य हो’, टेकुस्थित राष्ट्रिय जनस्वास्थ्य प्रयोगशालाका कन्सल्टेन्ट माइक्रोवायोलोजिस्ट विष्णुप्रसाद उपाध्यायले भने,’ यसमा खतरनाक प्रजाती नदेखिएकोले आत्तिईहाल्नु पर्ने अवस्था छैन’ । विशेषगरी जाडो सकिएर गर्मी सुरु भएलगत्तै वर्षाको समयमा यस्ता रोगका संक्रमण देखिने उनले बताए । उनक अनुसार हाल र्यालमा देखिएको यस्तो संक्रमण १० /१२ जनामा देखिएको छ । यस्ता संक्रमणको रोगी अझै धेरै हुनसक्छ । के हो स्वाइन फ्लु ? सुंगुरबाट मानिसमा सर्ने हुदाँ यसलाई स्वाइन फ्लु भनिएको हो । स्वाइनूफ्लुलाई एच्वान् एन् वान् भाइरस पनि भन्ने गरिन्छ । सन् २००९मा विश्वमा पहिलो पटक स्वाइन फ्लुको संक्रमण देखिएको थियो । खोकी लागिरहने, घाँटी खसखसाउने, १० दिनसम्म पनि कडा ज्वरो आएमा, बालबालिकामा ज्वरोसँगै वान्ता हनुे, पखाला लाग्ने स्वाइन फ्लुको प्रमुख लक्षण हो । यी लक्षण देखिएमा तुरुन्तै चिकित्सकका जाँच गराउन पर्दछ । बच्ने उपाय त्यस्तै, स्वाइन फ्लु सरुवा रोग भएको हुदाँ कुनै पनि व्यक्ति सार्वजनिक ठाँउमा जाँदा मास्क लगाउने, खोक्दा वा हाछिउँ गर्दा रुमालको प्रयोग गर्ने, साबुन पानीले राम्ररी हातमुख धुने, झोलिलो खानेकुराको सेवन बढी मात्रामा गर्ने र स्वाइन फ्लूको शंका लागेमा बेलैमा स्वास्थ्य परिक्षण गराएर पनि यो रोग लाग्नबाट बच्न सकिन्छ । त्यसबाहेक, बालबालिका, गर्भवती महिला, दीर्घरोगी तथा वृद्धवृद्धालाई पनि यस्तो रोगको संक्रमण चाँडै हुने भएकोले उनीहरुले विशेष सर्तकता अपनाउनुपर्छ ।