Keep those dirty hands away from me

This swine flu epidemic is getting scary. I remember having to study diseases and outbreaks for Science Olympiad a few months ago but big-time killers seemed so... historical, less modern.

The swine flu epidemic entered a dangerous new phase Monday as the death toll climbed in Mexico and the number of suspected cases there and in the United States nearly doubled. The World Health Organization raised its alert level but stopped short of declaring a global emergency.

The suspected number of deaths rose to 149 in Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak with nearly 2,000 people believed to be infected.

The number of U.S. cases rose to 48, the result of further testing at a New York City school, although none was fatal. Other U.S. cases have been reported in Ohio, Kansas, Texas and California. Worldwide there were 73 cases, including six in Canada, one in Spain and two in Scotland.

Aside from the confirmed cases, 13 are suspected in New Zealand, and one is suspected in both France and Israel.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu

Wash your hands! Or use hand sanitizer (the thing I have to do research on for my Honors Chem Consumer Product Project, how convenient) Please, none of that nose-picking, dirt-digging, finger-licking, nastiness.