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S.Korea has most cases of Swine flu worldwide
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SeoulFinn



Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Location: 1h from Seoul

PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I heard that Norway has 16 cases of fatalities so far. That's quite many for a population of 4.8 million. Korea has a population of 49 million and 48 people have died so far (the latest number I found is few days old). So, deaths per population

Norway: 1/300 0000
Korea: 1/1 020 833

Looks like Koreans aren't doing that badly. Oh, and I know that this logic/calculation is flawed. ^^
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The Great Wall of Whiner



Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Middle Land

PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Neil wrote:

I was browsing through the USA statistics (curious as to why their fatalities were higher) and saw that the places with the highest deaths were California, Florida and Texas. Places were seasonal flu is uncommon I'd imgaine.


Warm, retirement areas. Lots of seniors. Old people. Elderly.

'Nuff said.
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ontheway



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...

PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:32 am    Post subject: Re: S.Korea has most cases of Swine flu worldwide Reply with quote

Junior wrote:
Its official.
And almost double that of the U.S.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemic_by_country

South Korea: Officially confirmed cases: 107,939




The problem is, it's not official at all. The numbers are not comparable from country to country. Some places have stopped counting infections. Others may count everyone with a fever.

Death stats may be more reliable, but still not comparable as countries have different reporting criteria.

Korea may report more cases because everyone who gets sick here these days is suspected of having the swine flu and every case is counted at least once. Some of those counted may not have actually had the swine flu or any flu at all.

* * * * * * *

The important thing is that all the panic has been fear and paranoia about nothing. People are not dropping dead all over the place as the world seemed to fear. In fact, the death rates from flu this year will probably be normal or even below normal when the year is over.

* * * * * * *

The same thing happened during the last big swine flu scare which also happened during an economic crisis. Big panic, everyone lined up for free flu shots, then ... fizzle ... no big increase in flu deaths ...

This swine flu crisis mirrors the last ... no coincidence.
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flakfizer



Joined: 12 Nov 2004
Location: scaling the Cliffs of Insanity with a frayed rope.

PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One reason that Koreans have a lower fatality rate per infection may be due to the fact that obesity is much more of an issue in the States than it is here and recent evidence shows that obesity plays a part in how likely one is to contract the illness and suffer more acute complications thereafter.
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Fox



Joined: 04 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:26 am    Post subject: Re: S.Korea has most cases of Swine flu worldwide Reply with quote

Junior wrote:
Its official.
And almost double that of the U.S.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemic_by_country

South Korea: Officially confirmed cases: 107,939


Well, I don't know what they're doing in the United States, but in Korea, they've got a very vigorous program going to try to diagnose infections. Every day at my school, everyone's temperature is checked. Your temperature is high? You can't stay, and you must go to a doctor. I've seen at least some businesses behaving similarly.

Maybe South Korea has an unusually high infection rate, but I feel it's more likely that they simply diagnose far more of the infections than other countries. If I were in America and I got H1N1, I wouldn't be part of that statistic, because I wouldn't go to a doctor over it, and no one would make me. Here, if I came into school with a fever, I'd be carted to the doctor and counted. I doubt I'm unique in this regard. H1N1 in America is probably vastly under-reported.

I also agree with ontheway that for the most part, the panic is excessive. I don't condemn countries for reacting cautiously to try to limit infections, but I don't feel it's necessary.
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Junior



Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye

PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:36 am    Post subject: Re: S.Korea has most cases of Swine flu worldwide Reply with quote

SeoulFinn wrote:
Korea: 1/1 020 833

Looks like Koreans aren't doing that badly.


I think the rapid prescription of Tamiflu to anyone diagnosed has been the significant factor.

Fox wrote:
I don't condemn countries for reacting cautiously to try to limit infections, but I don't feel it's necessary.


I agree, the fatality rate would almost be a non-issue in Korea by now except for the death last week of a famous actors young boy which hit the headlines.
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