Thought the swine flu fears were ebbing? Think again! Beijing reported the mainland's first suspected case of H1N1 (if you don't count the Hong Kong patient that was transferred over from Shanghai) after a 30-year-old male Sichuan student developed flu-like symptoms. The patient, surnamed Bao, had traveled from St. Louis to Tokyo, and then boarded Northwestern Airlines flight NW029 to Beijing. Then, on the transferring flight to Chengdu, he began exhibiting hints of the swine flu. He has tested mildly positive for H1N1 and is now quarantined in a Chengdu contagious disease control hospital. Those in direct contact with him during the diagnosis have also been placed under observation. Source: SCMP. (Photo by benchau) more ›

Yes, we're sick of the scaremongering, paranoia and misinformation. While we're already cringing every time someone sneezes in the office or metro, we've realized what real paranoia is after spending the weekend in Hong Kong: doormats being disinfected every half hour, people talking through masks, masks being sold at every convenient store and an entire hotel being put under quarantine. more ›

Despite their draconian health measures at the airport, swine flu managed to enter Hong Kong anyway. On Friday, a 25-year-old Mexican national who had come to Hong Kong via a flight from Shanghai (sigh) was found to have Asia's first confirmed case of H1N1. So Hong Kong authorities decided to extend their draconian health measures to the rest of the island and have now quarantined tourists and employees at the hotel where he was staying. more ›

Phew, it seems like we're safe after all. The Chinese children who were reported sick with swine flu-like symptoms have now been confirmed to be swine flu free. A total of 60 schoolchildren and three teachers in Shaanxi Province were suspected to have contracted the flu after they experienced fevers in mid-April. In perparation for a possible outbreak, health authorities had isolated the students at home nad closed the school. But now all patients have recovered and China can still declare itself untainted... for now. Source: Shanghai Daily more ›

So how effective are China's emergency provisions against contracting swine flu? We're not sure right now! While news reports are coming out saying that, according to the World Health Organization's representative, authorities are investigating several suspected human cases in the country, that doesn't mean there IS swine flu here. It's just that some people that have come in contact with certain swine flu risky situations are now being checked out. In fact, WHO told the public it's not really "probable" that swine flu's hit the country yet... despite what your twitter feeds might say. Hmmm... maybe there was some logic to accusing twitter of being a panic monger after all. (thanks to @RodrigoMX and @doubleleaf for links) more ›

The next big epidemic is here and this time around it didn't come out of China! Swine flu, a respiratory disease in pigs, has somehow spread to humans - infecting a total of 20 people in the U.S. so far and allegedly killing more than 103 in Mexico! more ›