Médicos alertam para cuidados com a tireoide

Publicada em 27/04/2009 às 14h41m

O Globo

Comentários

RIO - Ela pesa de 15g a 30g, fica perto do gogó em frente à traqueia e tem o formato de escudo ou borboleta. Apesar de pequena em relação a outras partes do corpo, a glândula tireoide é essencial para o funcionamento de órgãos vitais, como cérebro, coração, fígado e rins, como mostra reportagem de Antônio Marinho no jornal O Globo. Mas nem sempre recebe a devida importância na consulta clínica.

Queixas de coração acelerado, irritação, ansiedade, perda de apetite ou excesso de peso, queda de cabelo, fraqueza muscular e das unhas, por exemplo, podem ter origem no mau funcionamento da tireoide. A importância do exame da glândula é um dos temas do XIII Congresso Latino-Americano de Tireoide, que começa nesta sexta-feira em Gramado (RS). Médicos criticam ainda fórmulas emagrecedoras manipuladas e vendidas sem controle. Elas contêm hormônios tireoidianos que causam sérios danos.

" Muitas dessas fórmulas, às vezes sem conhecimento do próprio paciente, levam hormônios tireoidianos que são maléficos. Inexiste indicação de usar o hormônio tireoidiano para tratar obesidade (M. Vaisman) "

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A principal função da glândula é produzir e armazenar hormônios (T3, triiodotironina, e T4, tiroxina). Eles têm importância para a regulação do ciclo menstrual, a fertilidade, a memória, a concentração e o humor. Quando a glândula se torna muito ativa, ocorre o hipertireoidismo. Se produz hormônio em quantidade insuficiente, há o hipo. Cada uma dessas alterações tem sintomas distintos, com efeitos nocivos. Daí o perigo de consumir fórmulas para emagrecer.

- Muitas dessas fórmulas, às vezes sem conhecimento do próprio paciente, levam hormônios tireoidianos que são maléficos. Inexiste indicação de usar o hormônio tireoidiano para tratar obesidade. Ele deve ser indicado no hipotireoidismo - alerta Mario Vaisman, professor titular da UFRJ e membro de corpo editorial da revista "Arquivos Brasileiros de Endocrinologia & Metabologia".

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Homem é internado na BA com sintomas de gripe suína; Brasil monitora outras 11 pessoas

Colaboração para a Folha Online

Um homem de 40 anos vindo de Miami (Estados Unidos) foi internado segunda-feira (27) em um hospital em Salvador (BA) com sintomas de gripe suína. Reclamando de dores no corpo, com tosse e febre alta, o paciente deu entrada no hospital Otávio Mangabeira logo após desembarcar na capital baiana e continua em observação nesta terça.

A mulher do paciente, que esteve com ele durante a viagem, não apresentou sintomas e por isso não foi internada, conforme a Secretaria de Saúde da Bahia.



Este é o 12º caso de suspeita de gripe suína registrado no país até agora. Na segunda, o Ministério da Saúde divulgou nota informando que acompanha o estado de saúde de outras 11 pessoas que vieram dos países afetados pela doença com sintomas suspeitos. De acordo com o órgão, no entanto, nenhum caso havia sido confirmado até a noite de ontem.
Paulo Whitaker/Reuters
Com receio da gripe suína, Ximena de la Parra Parreros e o noivo aguardam a mãe dela, no aeroporto internacional de São Paulo
Com receio da gripe suína, Ximena de la Parra Parreros e o noivo aguardam a mãe dela, no aeroporto internacional de São Paulo

Segundo o ministério, três casos estão sendo investigados em Minas, dois no Rio, dois no Amazonas, outros dois no Rio Grande do Norte, um em São Paulo e o último no Pará. As pessoas estão sendo monitoradas pelas respectivas secretarias estaduais de Saúde.

Nesta terça-feira, o gabinete de acompanhamento da gripe suína, formada por técnicos dos ministérios da Saúde e da Agricultura e da Anvisa (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária), irá se reunir ao longo do dia para avaliar a situação.

No Brasil, desembarcam diariamente cerca de 7.000 passageiros provenientes de México, Estados Unidos e Canadá. São 19 voos diretos dos EUA para Cumbica (SP), dois para o Galeão (RJ), dois para Manaus (AM), um para Salvador (BA) e um para Fortaleza (CE) e outros dois voos diretos do México para São Paulo.

Prevenção

Segundo a Anvisa, foram enviados 20 mil folhetos educativos sobre a doença para o aeroporto de Guarulhos (SP), 20 mil para o Galeão (RJ) e outros 20 mil para Confins (MG) e 20 mil para Salvador.

Os folhetos, em português, espanhol e inglês, listam os sintomas da doença e orientam as pessoas que chegaram do México, Estados Unidos ou Canadá a procurarem o hospital. Ao todo, serão feitos 1 milhão de panfletos.

Além disso, estão sendo vinculados avisos sonoros nos três aeroportos e em Salvador, Fortaleza e Recife alertando sobre a doença e os aviões que partem do México, Estados Unidos e Canadá com destino ao Brasil receberam a determinação de orientar os passageiros.

O Ministério da Saúde informou ainda que, nesta segunda-feira, atendentes do Disque Saúde --que funciona no número 0800-61-1997-- foram treinados para tirar dúvidas da população sobre a doença.

Sintomas

A gripe suína é uma doença respiratória causada pelo vírus influenza A, chamado de H1N1. Ele é transmitido de pessoa para pessoa e tem sintomas semelhantes aos da gripe comum, com febre superior a 38ºC, tosse, dor de cabeça intensa, dores musculares e articulações, irritação dos olhos e fluxo nasal.

Para diagnosticar a infecção, uma amostra respiratória precisa ser coletada nos quatro ou cinco primeiros dias da doença, quando a pessoa infectada espalha vírus, e examinadas em laboratório. Os antigripais Tamiflu e Relenza, já utilizados contra a gripe aviária, são eficazes contra o vírus H1N1, segundo testes laboratoriais, e parecem ter dado resultado prático, de acordo com o CDC (Centros de Controle de Doenças dos Estados Unidos).

Alerta internacional

Só na segunda-feira, o surto no México se agravou --mais de 1.600 pessoas foram atingidas pela doença e as mortes suspeitas chegaram a 149--; os casos nos EUA dobraram e chegaram a 40; o Canadá confirmou sete casos; e houve, pela primeira vez, casos em um outro continente, a Europa: um caso na Espanha e dois na Escócia.

No total, 11 países --Colômbia, Suíça, Dinamarca, Reino Unido, Nova Zelândia, Israel, Suécia, Hong Kong, França, Peru e Alemanha-- investigam casos de suspeita de gripe suína, sempre envolvendo passageiros que estavam em trânsito no México ou pessoas que tiveram contato direto com esses passageiros.

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Caminho: Bebês de Maya e Duda terão mesmo nome

Divulgação Maya

Como o ESTRELANDO já te contou, Maya e Duda terão seus filhos ao mesmo tempo em Caminho das Índias, da Globo.

O que ambas mamães não sabem é que ela irão batizar seus filhos com o mesmo nome: Niraj. O bebê de Duda, no entanto, ganhará também um nome brasileiro, se chamando Niraj Antônio.
Quando o bebê de Maya nasce, Kochi apressa-se em realizar os rituais indianos, colocando ghee e mel na boca do menino para que o primeiro gosto que ele sinta nesse mundo seja doce.

Já Duda conta com a presença da amiga Chiara na sala de parto, e as duas correm para o hospital quando Duda está em casa e percebe que sua bolsa estourou.

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Acidente mata jogador Jardel, do Central de Caruaru, de PE

Acidente de carro em Pernambuco mata jogador do Central de Caruaru

Volante Jardel é a vítima fatal. Outros três jogadores do clube ficam feridos, um deles com gravidade

GLOBOESPORTE.COM Recife

Divulgação/Divulgação

Jardel, em foto do site do Central de Caruaru

Pouco menos de três meses e meio depois do acidente que matou dois jogadores do Brasil de Pelotas no Rio Grande do Sul (o atacante uruguaio Claudio Milar e o zagueiro Régis) e um dia após a morte do zagueiro Alisson, do Salgueiro-PE, outro acidente numa estrada brasileira provocou a morte de um jogador de futebol. Desta vez foi o volante Jardel, de 25 anos, do Central de Caruaru (PE).

O acidente ocorreu na BR-232, na descida da Serra das Russas, em Pombos, Zona da Mata pernambucana, na noite desta segunda-feira, e mais três jogadores ficaram feridos: o lateral-esquerdo Adeíldo, que estava no mesmo carro que Jardel, e o atacante Cláudio e o meia Heider, que estavam em outro veículo. O estado de Adeíldo, segundo o site do jornal "A Folha de Pernambuco, é grave.

Jardel Gomes da Silva tinha 25 anos, e havia sido contratado do Penedo-AL. De acordo com as primeiras informações por telefone dadas por Cláudio, que ainda estava atordoado, segundo o site do "Jornal do Commercio", um ônibus teria colidido com os carros em que eles estavam.

No entanto, informações posteriores da Polícia Rodoviária Federal confirmaram que o acidente envolveu três caminhões e três carros de passeio. Jardel estava em um Corsa com o lateral Adeíldo, de 29 anos, que ficou preso às ferragens. Cláudio e Heider, que estavam em outro veículo, pegaram uma carona com um caminhoneiro para Recife.

Heider foi levado ao hospital pelo lateral-direito Russo, ex-Vasco, também do Central, que estava no Recife.

- Ele me ligou e pediu para que eu os buscasse lá com o caminhoneiro, mas quando cheguei, um amigo do Cláudio já estava lá e o levou para outro hospital. Então eu peguei o Heider e o trouxe às pressas para cá (Hospital da Restauração). Ele disse que estava sentindo muitas dores e que não conseguia andar sozinho - contou Russo à "Folha de Pernambuco".

Russo informou que o estado de saúde de Cláudio é o menos grave dos três companheiros feridos. Mas o estado de saúde de Adeíldo é grave. Segundo o site, durante o resgate se ouviam gritos do lateral pedindo socorro. O lateral-esquerdo, que estava ao lado de Jardel no banco da frente do carro, ficou preso nas ferragens. O médico do Corpo de Bombeiros, Ricardo Lemig, que ajudou a retirar o atleta do carro, informou que o atleta sofreu fraturas múltiplas no tórax e traumatismo craniano.

Protesto fecha estrada e teria provocado o acidente

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Segundo a Polícia Rodoviária Federal, o acidente foi provocado por um protesto contra o atropelamento de uma mulher em Pombos, ocorrido por volta das 18h desta segunda-feira. Os moradores fecharam a estrada e com o congestionamento um caminhão se chocou com um carro, e o engavetamento foi formado. O carro onde estava Jardel e Adeíldo ficou imprensado entre os dois veículos de carga.

O corpo de Jardel só foi retirado do carro por volta das 23h, quando as equipes de resgate conseguiram afastar o caminhão com escavadeiras e correntes. Cláudio disse que estava com escoriações leves. Segundo a "Folha de Pernambuco", os jogadores voltavam de Caruaru, onde haviam ido ao clube resolver questões burocráticas.

Todos participaram da campanha do Central no Campeonato Pernambucano, no qual o time terminou em sexto lugar. Na Copa do Brasil, o Central foi eliminado na segunda fase pelo Vasco, após a derrota de 3 a 0, em Caruaru. Cláudio e Adeíldo enfrentaram o time carioca, mas Jardel e Heider, não.

Outra morte no futebol pernambucano havia ocorrido na manhã de domingo, quando o zagueiro e capitão do Salgueiro, Alisson (Francisco Alisson Pereira dos Santos), de 30 anos, foi vítima de uma parada respiratória, após um acidente na tarde de sábado, quando voltava de Juazeiro (BA) para Salgueiro.

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Ministério da Saúde acompanha 11 casos suspeitos de gripe suína no Brasil, dois no Rio

Publicada em 27/04/2009 às 23h25m

O GloboAgências internacionais

Comentários

RIO - O Ministério da Saúde informou, em nota divulgada na noite desta segunda-feira , que está monitorando o estado de saúde de 11 pessoas que vieram recentemente de países afetados pela gripe suína causada pelo vírus H1N1, que já matou pelo menos 20 pessoas no México e infectou ao menos 73 no mundo . Ao todo, apresentaram alguns dos sintomas clínicos típicos da doença três pessoas em Minas Gerais, duas no Rio de Janeiro, duas no Amazonas, duas no Rio Grande do Norte, uma em São Paulo e uma no Pará, embora até agora nenhuma delas preencha a definição de "caso suspeito". Segundo as autoridades, uma mulher de 44 anos que chegou de Nova York no sábado foi internada na UTI do Copa D'Or com um forte resfriado e acabou sendo isolada por medida de precaução. Além do Brasil, outros 14 países registraram casos suspeitos da doença. A Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) elevou para 4 (numa escala até 6) o grau de alerta da epidemia , indicando que o vírus tem significativa capacidade de transmissão entre humanos, o que levou EUA e UE a emitiram alertas desaconselhando viagens "não essenciais" ao México devido ao surto ( Está em uma região afetada? Mande seu relato! ).

" A população tem que ficar tranquila porque o governo está trabalhando, fazendo tudo o que é possível para que isso não entre no Brasil "

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Nos aeroportos brasileiros, viajantes que desembarcavam do México na segunda-feira, o quarto dia após o alerta da epidemia, queixaram-se de desinformação. Apesar das medidas anunciadas pelo governo brasileiro, os passageiros disseram que não foram abordados por agentes, nem receberam folhetos informativos sobre prevenção e tratamento da doença (Imagens da gripe pelo mundo) .

A princípio, passageiros que retornam ao Brasil vindos dos EUA, Canadá e México que apresentarem sintomas da doença (tosse, febre alta e dores musculares) serão examinados por técnicos da Anvisa, acompanhados de médicos da Infraero, ainda no avião e deixarão a aeronave em uma ambulância rumo um dos 51 centros de referência em epidemiologia que operam em 23, dos 27 estados. Aqueles que tiveram contato com os suspeitos de terem contraído a doença também serão examinados ( Saiba como a gripe se espalha ).

O diretor da Anvisa, José Agenor Álvares, disse que não há motivo para pânico.

- A população tem que ficar tranquila porque o governo está trabalhando, fazendo tudo o que é possível para que isso não entre no Brasil - disse.

Brasileiro narra clima na Cidade do México:

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O Ministério da Saúde também anunciou a compra de um lote emergencial de 100 mil máscaras cirúrgicas que serão encaminhadas para os seis aeroportos que recebem voos internacionais. Também serão distribuídos panfletos sobre precauções e recomendações a quem volta do exterior e para quem vai às áreas de risco. Uma das recomendações é para que os brasileiros usem a máscara durante toda a estada na América do Norte. No folder há um número do Disque Saúde para tirar dúvidas de viajantes (0800 - 611997).

Em Manaus, o presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva calmou a população e fez o sinal da cruz ao dizer que não há casos da doença no país:

- Ainda ontem (domingo), dez da noite, recebi telefonema do (ministro da saúde, José Gomes) Temporão, pra dizer que essa gripe suína não chegou no Brasil. Temos estoque de remédios pra enfrentar essa situação, que graças a Deus (faz sinal da cruz) não chegou aqui e espero que não chegue nunca.

Vídeo: passageiros chegam a SP de máscara

Preocupado com uma possível queda no consumo de carne suína, o Ministério da Agricultura divulgou nota esclarecendo que não existe no Brasil registro da doença em humanos. O órgão assegurou que também não há qualquer restrição ao consumo desses produtos (Obama: 'não há motivo para alarme') .

Madri: blogueira comenta clima na capital da Espanha

Contenção não é uma opção viável

Segundo a edição de segunda-feira do jornal mexicano "Reforma", há cerca de um mês, a empresa americana Veratec advertira a OMS sobre a possibilidade de um vírus poderoso de gripe surgir no México devido ao grande número de casos de pneumonia fora do comum em determinada área. E o número de mortos no país não para de crescer: há suspeita de a doença ter provocado 152 mortes, mas autoridades locais confirmam 20 delas . Nos vizinhos EUA, já são 40 casos confirmados da doença, mas nenhuma morte. O prefeito de Nova York, Michael Bloomberg, o número de ocorrências na maior cidade americana pode passar de cem .

O secretário-geral da ONU, Ban Ki-moon advertiu nesta segunda-feira que o surto pode se transformar em uma nova pandemia global. Segundo o diretor -geral adjunto da OMS, Keiji Fukuda, a diretora-geral da organização, Margaret Chan, decidiu, no entanto, não recomendar restrições de viagens ou de negócios por considerar, com base na avaliação de especialistas, que a medida não seria de muita utilidade "porque o vírus já está muito estendido geograficamente". De acordo com ele, uma pandemia não é considerada inevitável a essa altura e que tratar a doença é mais importante do que tentar conter o vírus.

- Contenção não é uma opção viável - diz.

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Swine Flu Epidemic Enters Dangerous New Phase

Global Concern About Possible Pandemic Surges

E. EDUARDO CASTILLO, Associated Press Writers

POSTED: 6:55 am EDT April 27, 2009
UPDATED: 1:36 am EDT April 28, 2009

MEXICO CITY -- 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 United States advised Americans against most travel to Mexico and ordered stepped up border checks in neighboring states. The European Union health commissioner advised Europeans to avoid nonessential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States. The virus poses a potentially grave new threat to the U.S. economy, which was showing tentative early signs of a recovery. A widespread outbreak could batter tourism, food and transportation industries, deepening the recession in the U.S. and possibly worldwide. 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. While the total cases were still measured in hundreds, not thousands, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said the epidemic was entering an extremely dangerous phase, with the number of people infected mushrooming even as authorities desperately ramped up defenses. "We are in the most critical moment of the epidemic. The number of cases will keep rising, so we have to reinforce preventative measures," Cordova said at a news conference. The WHO raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country. Its alert system was revised after bird flu in Asia began to spread in 2004, and Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3. "At this time, containment is not a feasible option," as the virus has already spread to several other countries, said WHO Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda. Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. That move could lead governments to set trade, travel and other restrictions aimed at limiting its spread. Phase 6 is for a full-blown pandemic, characterized by outbreaks in at least two regions of the world. It could take 4-6 months before the first batch of vaccines are available to fight the virus, WHO officials said. Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said they would quarantine visitors showing symptoms of the virus amid global fears of a pandemic, an epidemic spread over a large area, either a region or worldwide. President Barack Obama said the outbreak was reason for concern, but not yet "a cause for alarm." Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that so far the virus in the United States seems less severe than in Mexico. Only one person has been hospitalized in the U.S. "I wouldn't be overly reassured by that," Besser told reporters at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, raising the possibility of more severe cases in the United States. "We are taking it seriously and acting aggressively," Besser said. "Until the outbreak has progressed, you really don't know what it's going to do." U.S. customs officials began checking people entering U.S. territory. Millions of doses of flu-fighting medications from a federal stockpile were on their way to states, with priority given to the five already affected and to border states. Federal agencies were conferring with state and international governments. "We want to make sure that we have equipment where it needs to be, people where they need to be and, most important, information shared at all levels," said Janet Napolitano, head of the Homeland Security Department. "We are proceeding as if we are preparatory to a full pandemic," Napolitano said. She said travel warnings for trips to Mexico would remain in place as long as swine flu is detected. Mexico canceled school at all levels nationwide until May 6, and the Mexico City government said it was considering a complete shutdown, including all public transportation, if the death toll keeps rising. Labor Secretary Javier Lozano Alarcon said employers should isolate anyone showing up for work with fever, cough, sore throat or other signs of the flu. Even some of Mexico's most treasured national holidays were affected by the swine flu alert. Authorities announced Monday the cancellation of the annual Cinco de Mayo parade, in which people in period costumes celebrate Mexican troops' defeat of a French army on May 5, 1862. The national labor umbrella group announced the cancellation of Mexico City's traditional May 1 parade and the National Institute of Anthropology and History said all of its 116 museums nationwide would be closed until further notice. Amid the warnings, the Mexican government grappled with increasing criticism of its response. At least two weeks after the first swine flu case, the government has yet to say where and how the outbreak began or give details on the victims. The health department lacked the staff to visit the homes of all those suspected to have died from the disease, Cordova said. Cordova said 1,995 people have been hospitalized with serious cases of pneumonia since the first case of swine flu was reported April 13. The government does not yet know how many were swine flu. He said tests show a 4-year-old boy contracted the virus before April 2 in Veracruz state, where a community has been protesting pollution from a large pig farm. The farm is run by Granjas Carroll de Mexico, a joint venture half owned by Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, Inc. Spokeswoman Keira Ullrich said the company has found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine flu in its herd or its employees working anywhere in Mexico. Mexico's Agriculture Department said Monday that its inspectors found no sign of swine flu among pigs around the farm in Veracruz, and that no infected pigs have been found yet anywhere in Mexico. As if the country did not have enough to deal with, Cordova's comments were briefly interrupted by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake in southern Mexico that rattled already jittery nerves and sent mask-wearing office workers into the streets of the capital. Aside from the confirmed cases, 13 are suspected in New Zealand, and one is suspected in both France and Israel. European Union Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou advised Europeans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico and parts of the United States, although Besser said that including the U.S. in the advisory seemed unwarranted at this time. State Department spokesman Robert A. Wood said Vassiliou's remarks were his "personal opinion," not an official EU position, and therefore the department had no comment. "We don't want people to panic at this point," Wood said. The U.S. stepped up checks of people entering the country by air, land and sea, and the State Department warned U.S. citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico. It said those who live in Mexico should avoid hospitals or clinics there unless they have a medical emergency. The best way to keep the disease from spreading, Besser said, is by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if not feeling well. He said authorities are not recommending that people wear masks at work because evidence that it is effective "is not that strong." Besser said about 11 million doses of flu-fighting drugs from a federal stockpile have been sent to states in case they are needed. That's roughly one quarter of the doses in the stockpile, he said. There is no vaccine available to prevent the specific strain now being seen, he said, but some antiflu drugs do work once someone is sick. If a new vaccine eventually is ordered, the CDC already has taken a key preliminary step -- creating what's called seed stock of the virus that manufacturers would use. Many of the cases outside Mexico have been relatively mild. Symptoms include a fever of more than 100, coughing, joint aches, severe headache and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea. European and U.S. markets bounced back from early losses as pharmaceutical stocks were lifted by expectations that health authorities will increase stockpiles of anti-viral drugs. Stocks of airlines, hotels and other travel-related companies posted sharper losses. WHO spokesman Peter Cordingley singled out air travel as an easy way the virus could spread, noting that the WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people are on planes at any time. Governments in Asia -- with potent memories of previous flu outbreaks -- were especially cautious. Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines dusted off thermal scanners used in the 2003 SARS crisis and were checking for signs of fever among passengers from North America. South Korea, India and Indonesia also announced screening. In Malaysia, health workers in face masks took the temperatures of passengers as they arrived on a flight from Los Angeles. China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival had to report to authorities. China, Russia and Ukraine were among countries banning imports of pork and pork products from Mexico and three U.S. states that have reported swine flu cases, while other countries, such as Indonesia, banned all pork imports. The CDC says people cannot get the flu by eating pork or pork products. Germany's leading vacation tour operators were skipping stops in Mexico City as a precaution. The Hannover-based TUI said trips through May 4 to Mexico City were being suspended, including those operated by TUI itself and through companies 1-2 Fly, Airtours, Berge & Meer, Grebeco and L'tur. Japan's largest tour agency, JTB Corp., suspended tours to Mexico through June 30. Russian travel agencies said about a third of those planning to travel to Mexico in early May had already canceled. Additional Resources: WHO swine flu page CDC

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Will A Mask Protect Against Swine Flu?

Masks Best For Containing Coughs, Sneezes

POSTED: 3:12 pm EDT April 27, 2009

As reports spread of a new influenza strain that could become a pandemic, people in the U.S. began to wonder if they would need to take precautions that helped stem the spread of SARS a few years ago: surgical masks in public.While they may be part of the plan for protecting yourself and others, masks can't do the job on their own.In Las Vegas, KVVU-TV reported that medical supply stores saw a run on surgical masks."People are starting to get a little scared over this thing," said Sue Welch, an employee at Everything Medical. Masks sell for $2 apiece or a box of 20 for $29.95."Since we opened at 9:00 we had 10 calls and already four people have come in," Welch said. She compared the early panic over swine flu to past outbreaks of bird flu and said many of the customers are travelers with flights booked to Mexico.U.S. health officials say masks aren't needed in the workplace.Would they help you even if you wore one?Dr. Mark Gendreau said in the New York Times that typical face masks filter about 62 percent of small particles, though you can get professional-grade masks that stop 98 percent of material.He said masks do not do their best work in protecting the wearer. But by stopping virus-laden droplets from people coughing or sneezing, they can help stop those who are infected from spreading the disease to others."Bring an extra mask along, and kindly offer it to anyone coughing or sneezing who looks sick. This will keep any droplets from landing on you," he said.An earlier guide based on the avian flu also suggests wearing a mask when caring for those who are already ill. And if you do wear a mask, you should wash your hands before and after putting it on or taking it off.Since masks are not considered necessary -- let alone required -- health officials suggest taking the normal precautions that help fight the spread of disease during seasonal flu season or any time of year.Richard Besser, the acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said steps taught to kids such as frequent hand washing and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing help. People with a fever should try to avoid contact with others.

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Cartier celebrates 100 years in America

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

By Marilynn Uricchio, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Getty Images/Hulton Archives, Smithsonian Institution, Cartier Archives © Cartier

The rare blue 45.50 carat Hope diamond once owned by Louis XIV. Cartier sold it to Evalyn Walsh MacLean in 1910 for $154,000. It is now in the Smithsonian Institution.

Jewelers to Kings. The King of Jewelers. That was the reputation that preceded Cartier when the French jewelers opened their first American store 100 years ago.

Pierre, the second of the three Cartier brothers, found a site at 712 Fifth Ave. in New York. Unfortunately it was on the second floor, not an ideal location to attract customers to what was fast becoming the finest shopping street in Manhattan. But such was the draw of the legendary jewelers that customers flocked regardless.

Among them was the man who owned the last private mansion to be built in that part of town. In 1917, Robert W. Plant sold his home on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street to Cartier for $100 and a pearl necklace that was valued at $1 million. It was a gift for his wife, one of many society ladies who bought astonishing jewels at astonishing prices in an attempt to out-bling each other.

Thus began a very different kind of history for Cartier, one that is being celebrated with the opening this Thursday of "Cartier: 100 Years of Passion and Free Spirit in America." The exhibition at the flagship store (now a historic landmark) will feature 100 unique Cartier creations including many from private collections. The exhibit will be on view through May 21, after which it will move to the Beverly Hills Cartier from June 1-14.

Bernard Fornas, president and CEO of Cartier International, and Frederic de Narp, president and CEO of Cartier North America, will be present at the party along with a galaxy of stars including Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Sir Elton John, Demi Moore, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Patti Smith, Martha Stewart and Justin Timberlake. But the guest of honor is famed photographer Bruce Webber, who will launch his new book, "Cartier I Love You: Celebrating 100 Years of Cartier in America." It will be available at bookstores in June, with a portion of the $95 price going to charity.

Founded in Paris in 1847, Cartier served all the crowned heads of Europe. But in America it attracted a different kind of royalty. At first it was Gilded Age heiresses and socialites like the Vanderbilts, Elsie De Wolfe, Anna Gould, Barbara Hutton, Daisy Fellowes (Singer sewing machines) and, most famously, Evalyn Walsh McLean. Her husband, Edward Beale McLean, heir to the Washington Post fortune, bought two of the most fabulous diamonds in history from Cartier. The Star of the East weighed in at 94 carats, and the blue Hope Diamond once owned by Louis XIV was 45 carats. To wear them both at once, Mrs. McLean had the Star mounted as a headpiece.

As times changed, movie stars became the new aristocrats. Society pages shifted their coverage to follow the activities of these glamorous creatures, and the photos in newspapers helped to spread the allure of Cartier to the masses. So did the appearance of Cartier jewels in movies such as Alfred Hitchcock's "Lifeboat," in which Tallulah Bankhead throws her diamond bracelet into the ocean and announces: "Sure we have bait -- by Cartier."

But it was the simply designed Tank watch that brought Cartier into the mainstream. Louis Cartier was supposedly inspired in 1917 by the Renault tanks and gave the first Tank watch to Gen. John Pershing, who led the American Expeditionary Forces into Europe. The watch broke with the era's taste for convoluted styles, and its clean, modern lines appealed to everyone from Rudolph Valentino to Clarke Gable, Fred Astaire, Warren Beatty, Truman Capote, Jackie Kennedy and Andy Warhol. It became the status symbol watch for generations, and it remains a classic in understated elegance.

Cartier, which was sold by the family in 1964, today produces a range of products that include perfume and handbags. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the company has launched a new line of limited-edition jewelry. But it is the history that gives these products their cache. Richard Burton made international headlines when he gave Elizabeth Taylor the 69-carat Burton-Taylor diamond in 1969, one of many "significant" baubles he lavished on his wife. They don't make many like that anymore. Husbands, of course!

Marilynn Uricchio can be reached at muricchio@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1582.

First published on April 28, 2009 at 12:00 am

© Cartier ArchivesA black enamel cigarette case designed as a miniature of a Steinway & Son "D" concert grand piano, commissioned by Mr. Steinway in 1937.

At Elizabeth Taylor's request, the diamond given to her by Richard Burton, initially mounted as a ring, was to become the pendant of a necklace created by Cartier.

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Pakistan's President says Osama bin Laden could be dead

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has raised the prospect that Osama bin Laden could be dead after he said that intelligence officials could find "no trace" of the al-Qaeda chief.

By Dean Nelson and Emal Khan in Peshawar
Last Updated: 6:25AM BST 28 Apr 2009

An image from 1998 shows Osama Bin Laden speaking to selected reporters in the mountains of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan Photo: AP

He said that neither his own advisers in Pakistan nor US intelligence agencies had detected any trace of the al-Qaeda leader since Al Jazeera television broadcast an audio recording of his voice in March.

But even then, unlike on previous occasions the authenticity of the voice purporting to be bin Laden was not confirmed by the CIA.

There have been regular reports of bin Laden's ill health, notably speculation about his kidneys failing. Mr Zardari said his own advisers believed there was substance to the rumours.

"The question is whether he is alive or dead. There is no trace of him," he said.

"There is no news. They obviously feel that he does not exist any more but that's not confirmed."

Mr Zardari's predecessor, Pervez Musharraf, similarly suggested that the Saudi terror chief could be dead. But US officials have repeatedly stated that bin Laden could yet be hiding in the mountainous region straddling the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Mr Zardari's comments came as he sought to reassure the international community that it need not worry over the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, had voiced her fears that they could fall into Taliban hands if the Pakistani government failed to halt the militants' advance throughout its North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Militants were last week repelled from their positions in Buner, just 60 miles from the capital Islamabad.

Her remarks followed earlier claims to a US Congressional committee that Pakistan was "abdicating to the Taliban" by making peace deals in places like the Swat Valley, where ministers had agreed to introduce Sharia law in exchange for an end to a militant insurgency.

That latest deal is unravelling after the Pakistan army killed 46 Taliban fighters in the space of two days, including two senior commanders in Malakand's Lower Dir district, in a series of helicopter gunship strikes.

They were called in after the NWFP government said the Taliban had broken the truce deal by pushing beyond the Swat Valley to neighbouring districts like Buner and Lower Dir.

A Taliban spokesman, Muslim Khan, last night warned his fighters would attack government forces throughout the district if the government did not immediately halt its offensive.

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The Queen sends first official email to Commonwealth youngsters

The Queen, who shares video clips on YouTube and texts her grandchildren, has now sent her first official email to young people to celebrate 60 years of the Commonwealth.

By Andrew Pierce
Last Updated: 8:27AM BST 28 Apr 2009

A message from the Queen will arrive in the youngsters' computers today on the diamond anniversary of the Commonwealth London Declaration Photo: GETTY

The message will arrive in the youngsters' inboxes today on the diamond anniversary of the Commonwealth London Declaration. It is marked from "Buckingham Palace" and the subject field says: "A Message from Her Majesty the Queen." The email is signed Elizabeth R, the same as on all her official correspondence.

As the theme of the 60th Anniversary is: "Serving a new generation", Buckingham Palace invited youngsters from across the Commonwealth to write a blog about their typical day. They were also asked to say what the Commonwealth meant to them.

The messages came from as far afield as Belize, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, St Lucia and a few closer to home such as Birmingham in the West Midlands. The Queen, who is addressed as Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness or Ma'am, was actually referred to as the "Boss" of the Commonwealth in one the blogs which came from the Australian Bush.

The Queen, who has always stayed abreast of developments in technology, was so taken by informal and chatty tone of the blogs that she decided to send an official reply and, for the first time, it was in the form of an email. The Queen, who privately emails her closest friends and her grandchildren including Prince William and Prince Harry, drafted the message herself.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "The Queen thought it would be a good idea to respond to the children online because that is the way they communicate."

The Queen will tonight host a reception for 240 representatives of the 53 Commonwealth countries at Buckingham Palace. The Prime Minister will be one of the many Commonwealth Prime Ministers who will attend.

The Queen, who mastered the art of using a computer three years ago, has become fascinated by the internet. She launched the first Royal Channel on YouTube, her Christmas broadcast was podcast for the first time in 2006, and last year she visited Google and the headquarters of Vodaphone last year.

The YouTube phenomenon was explained to the Queen by, among others, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, her granddaughters, who are also fans of the social networking site Facebook. Prince Harry taught the Queen how to send text messages on her mobile telephone.

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