7-year-old boy dies of new-flu infection in Shiga

Tuesday 22nd September, 10:47 AM JST

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14 Comments

memyselfI at 03:49 PM JST - 22nd September

I am sad for the boy. This mutated virus is deadly. scary - just remember do not take the new H1N1 flu shot (anti-virus). It's to scary- even american doctors fear the side effects. Only take it if it iss the last resort.
Mexicanish at 03:52 PM JST - 22nd September

memyself: The flu shot is not an "anti-virus" ... it's a vaccination, meaning it carries dead H1N1 virus cells so your body has a better chance at fighting off an infection. Please do some research on vaccinations.

Wow. You're about as educated in biology as the Japanese are.
chotto at 04:20 PM JST - 22nd September

even american doctors fear the side effects.

EVEN AMERICAN doctors? Wow, it must be super-scary.
realist at 05:12 PM JST - 22nd September

Mexicanish You are right in saying that the flu injection is a vaccination, but I disagree that your body has a better chance of fighting the infection if you have it. Its just not true. Some people who recieve it actually come down with a bad flu. I had the old flu vaccine years ago, never having had the flu in my life - and it gave me a terrible dose of flu, during which I was off work for 2 weeks. Better to avoid the vaccine, and I certainly wont be having it. This is a sad case about the little boy. However, the whole thing about "Swine Flu" i8s over-hyped. It really is not as bad as ordinary flu, yet, at least.
Mookoo at 06:37 PM JST - 22nd September

90% of the vaccine produced for the new flu worldwide uses thimerosal, which is a preservative containing mercury. The H1N1 vaccine for infants and children under six still contains trace amounts of thimerosal, even though it is marketed as mercury-free. Mercury at any concentration is toxic, and accumulates in the body.

Most of the flu-related deaths I've read about thus far are where the physicians decide to treat the symptoms, rather than the underlying cause, which was the flu. Tamiflu seems to have been withheld in the cases where the flu was given as cause of death.
Ah_so at 07:29 PM JST - 22nd September

Flu jabs do work, although it does not provide a guarantee that you will not get flu or that the jab itself with give you a (usually minor) dose of flu.
finnmccoul at 07:37 PM JST - 22nd September

There are a number of streams of this flu circulating within Tokyo, I for one have experienced one variation first hand, likewise my kids and numerous others too.

The general problem I have encountered, is that when visiting the local clinic's the standard approach is.. "ah you've got a cold" here's the standard medicine pack... at least in the case of Children there are a few places in which semi-decent doctors are found, but even they make mistakes sometimes... so after 2 days having seen no benefits from the first set of medicine, it's prudent to take a 2nd opinion and visit a hospital, ideally with a recommendation letter from the first Doctor... Remember, 40'C is Fry-your brain temperature - Cool the body down as best you can, and obtain medicine that addresses the problem.

As for shooting yourself up with some new drugs... different countries have different approaches. My personal opinion is that if you're sick you don't get yourself sicker by introducing a new problem for your body to fight, and if you're healthy why would you want to make your body sick especially if there's no guarantee as to what you're doing is going to be of benefit ?
hakujinsensei at 08:11 PM JST - 22nd September

lots of good points here about the vaccination. probably should avoid measles, mumps, rubella, polio, typhoid fever too. who knows how many people have health problems every year. so it saves millions of lives annually...

an ounce of non prevention is worth a pound of.... somebody help me out with that?

prayers out to the little fellahs mom, pop, friends n relatives. one day your healthy and the next some little virus you cant even see turns you inside out. I am going to tell my wife, kids, girlfriend etc. how much they mean to me now.

on a lighter note. a link to the swine flu terror ads from the US dept. of health circa 1976 or so. and you thought this was something new ; ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASibLqwVbsk
eresay at 09:44 PM JST - 22nd September

Read peer-reviewed papers on vaccinations written by scientists not the scribble you might find on an Alex Jones forum. A warped individual who still clings to widely-refuted theories like those produced by Dr Wakefield.

I would urge people to read government and university websites to get the real truth about vaccinations. That's right people. The government ISNT trying to kill you as some would have you believe.
neverknow2 at 11:19 PM JST - 22nd September

90% of the vaccine produced for the new flu worldwide

...is putting money in the pockets of the US. Just say no.
billyshears at 02:11 AM JST - 23rd September

According to this news article from the LA Times, the vaccine seems to work pretty well. Also, recommends getting a seasonal flu shot, too!

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-swine-flu12-2009sep12,0,1306285.story
kirakira25 at 08:31 AM JST - 23rd September

Very sad for the boy and his family.

But to avoid/reduce scaremongering can I just comment on a couple of points:

a) 40 degrees is NOT brain-frying temperature, in fact FAR from it, so please dont panic if you have a high fever. Bring it down to make yourself more comfortable, but let your body do its job. It is only risky if you have certain underlying conditions (eg in pregnancy a sustained high temperature can bring on premature labour or miscarriage).

b) If you have the flu, going to a doctor two days after your symptoms started because the original meds given to you are not working will probably have limited benefit. Go and get the anti-virals for sure, but bear in mind that they work best the EARLIER they are taken. If you suspect flu, whatever the doctor might say, ask for a flu test. They will usually only be too happy to oblige, and even if it is negative (it sometimes happens) if you are still concerned/not convinced, for example if someone in your family has already come down with confirmed flu - get the anti-virals anyway. In 99.9% of cases they won`t hurt you and could help prevent things getting worse.

c) Another thing to bear in mind that, whilst the CDC and certain other agencies are saying that fever is the defining symptom for this flu IT DOESNT HAPPEN IN EVERY CASE and sometimes people get the fever later, after say a cough or a headache. If you are feeling rough - dont wait for a fever to go see a doctor. In my own case, my fever kicked in nearly a day and a half after the other symptoms.
smithinjapan at 12:09 AM JST - 24th September

Poor kid. RIP.

As for the flu shot, while I've no doubt a lot of people are panicking and rushing for it, I would suggest NOT getting it (as I would suggest not getting the regular flu shot every year). Every single person I've asked who gets the flu (regular flu) says they had a shot -- it's meaningless except to lower your immunity.
leitmotiv at 02:16 PM JST - 24th September

Every single person I've asked who gets the flu (regular flu) says they had a shot

Sounds like you carried out a valid and controlled scientic study and demonstrated the opposite of what has been conventionally accepted for many decades. Did you publish your findings? You may make the Nobel list for your paradigm-shattering research.

Unbelievable.