지금 미국은 .....

 오늘 아침부터(미국 시간 4.27 07:00)  CNN 뉴스는 "SWINE FLU(돼지독감)로 온통 난리다.  미국 전역에서 발생되고, 맥시코 어떤 지역은 103명이 사망한 SWINE FLU 발병 원인, 예방 및 정부대책 그리고 변이 전망에 대하여 계속 떠들고 있다.

 

   간간히 경제 관련 뉴스가 나오는데 정확히는 모르겠지만 미국 전체가 점차 심각한 국면으로 빠져들어가는 느낌이다.  GM은 강력한 구조조정으로 회사의 대표 모델인 "Pontiac"을 포기하고 23,000명의 인원을 감축한다고 한다.  크라이슬러 파산이야기도 나오고...

   지금 사는 동네 주변에도 Job이 없어 평일 지금 이시간(미국 시간 오전 11:00) 집에서 놀고 있는 남자들이 제법 보인다.  정부 대책은 게속 나오고 있는데 시민들에게 까지 영향이 오기까지는 많은 시간이 지체된다고 한다. 

 

  집사람도 그 영향으로 그동안 다녔던 곳으로 부터 지난주말 해고됐다. 회사사정이 어려워졌단다.  실제적인 체감의 어려움이 이제부터 시작이라고 하는 이도 있는데 정말 그러한 것 같다. 그나마 조금씩 벌어오던 주급으로 한주간 먹을 거리를 해결했는데... 

  덕분에 전업주부 역할이 끝났다. 이제 내가 나설 차례인가...  

 

 U.S. prepares for possible swine flu epidemic as global cases rise

• Story Highlights
• NEW: Russia screening travelers arriving from Mexico, U.S. for swine flu
  
• U.S. airline association: It's "time for appropriate precautions but not panic"
  
• U.S. military issues worldwide caution to look for illness signs in troops
  
• Total number of U.S. swine flu cases is 20; but "more severe cases" likely
  
• Next Article in Health »

(CNN) -- The United States stepped up preparations for a possible swine flu epidemic, and Canada confirmed its first cases on Sunday as researchers worked to determine how contagious the virus could be.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano briefs reporters at the White House Sunday.

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Keiji Fukuda, the assistant director-general of the World Health Organization, called the outbreak "serious" on Sunday. Researchers are still trying to determine how easily the virus is transmitted person to person and it's too early to predict whether there will be a mild or serious pandemic, said Fukuda.

Dr. Alejandro Macias, an epidemiologist and adviser to the federal Ministry of Health, told CNN en Español that the official death toll was at 86. Macias said five more deaths in Mexico City had been reported to federal authorities by local authorities in the city.

Earlier, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said 81 deaths were suspected to be from the outbreak and 374 people remained hospitalized. Another 929 people have been examined and sent home, he said.

"These people have shown up at some medical institution in the country with respiratory symptoms that required to be studied and diagnosed," he said.

Mexico City closed all of its schools and universities until further notice because of the virus, and troops passed out filter masks outside the National Cathedral on Sunday morning. No masses were scheduled at the cathedral, but dozens of worshippers put on masks and went inside the church to pray on their own.

Public Health Emergency

 

GM to eliminate Pontiac brand and cut 23,000 jobs.

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