Swine influenza, politics, and economics

By David Walsh and Sean South in the USA:

Politics and economics dominate response to swine flu epidemic

30 April 2009

The outbreak of a swine flu epidemic that threatens to assume global proportions is exposing the disastrous consequences of the subordination of all aspects of social life to the capitalist market and the competing interests of nationally-based corporate elites. The potential toll in illness, death and economic disruption is compounded by the scourges of poverty, social inequality and the lack of basic health care infrastructure in much of the world.

A rational and coordinated application of modern medical science and technological resources to deal with a world threat is frustrated at every turn by national boundaries and nationally based responses.

In the industrialized countries, above all the United States, the potential human cost from the flu epidemic is magnified by the decades-long neglect of public health by governments, beholden to financial interests, that have starved the health care infrastructure of resources.

In response to the spread of the swine flu, the World Health Organization on Wednesday raised its alert to Phase 5, a level characterized by widespread human infection and the danger of a pandemic.

Mexico: Epidemic deepens the social crisis: here.

The item Swine flu? A panic stoked in order to posture and spend, by Simon Jenkins, considers that the epidemic risks are exaggerated.

From German daily Bild:

SWINE FLU Virus traced back to Mexico farm

The swine flu outbreak has been traced back to a pig farm in Mexico. The first known case of the virus emerged a fortnight earlier than previously thought in a village called La Gloria, where residents have long complained about the smell and flies from a nearby pig farm. Locals in the community of 3,000 believe their town is ground zero for the swine flu epidemic, even if health officials aren’t saying so. More than 450 residents say they’re suffering from respiratory problems from contamination spread by pig waste at nearby breeding farms.

Modern factory farms have created a ‘perfect storm’ environment for powerful viruses: here.

The sick face of food production under capitalism: here.

The handling of the swine flu outbreak underscores the difficulty, in the present political environment, of separating medical science from corporate interests and the political agendas of governments that are beholden to them: here.

Profiteers helped to cause swine flu threat: here.

Hogwash Alert: How to Survive the Pandemic of Swine Flu Scams and Swindle: here.

By Perla Astudillo:

12 May 2009

The current swine flu virus may not mutate into a more dangerous form and the danger will then subside. Scientists, however, remain concerned that the virus is poorly understood and may be susceptible to mutation.

Poultry slaughterhouse ‘stomach-churning’: here.