Number of swine flu deaths three times higher than previously estimated, CDC says

New estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite at least 22 million U.S. cases of the H1N1 influenza and 3,900 deaths, including about 540 children. This is about three times the number of laboratory-confirmed deaths the agency has been reporting.

According to an article today by Times staff writer Thomas H. Maugh II, the new numbers reflect epidemiologists’ more accurate estimates, which include cases that might be listed on death certificates as pneumonia or other infections but were ultimately caused by swine flu. Previous reports included only laboratory-confirmed cases.

The H1N1 influenza differs from the traditional flu in a few ways -- it is very easily spread, affects young people more than old and doesn’t seem to follow the standard cold-weather transmission patterns, says an article from our health blog Booster Shots. 

Blog commenters and Twitter users have been alternately supportive and skeptical of being vaccinated against H1N1 so far, using the hashtag #swine on their updates. People are also quick to defend themselves when they sneeze or give other indications that they might have the flu:

cidelson wrote: Don't be lulled into complacency on swine flu, public health officials note how it continues to spread

Aaron Nichols wrote: This is fear mongering at the highest level – Now that makes me sick!

Soupking wrote: This is all HYPE. You couldn't pay me thousands of dollars to get "vaccinated".

Lindy Lee wrote: In our city, one child has died and thirty three percent of a local high school has the influenza. Many have been hospitalized. There are NO vaccines. Nobody was prepared and Obama was dishonest with us.

Connor_Davidson wrote: Is not all that well. P.S it's not Swine Flu

What do you think about the CDC’s report estimating so many H1N1 deaths? Have you gotten immunized or have you decided not to?

There has been a shortage of vaccines in California. Do you think the state is doing enough to respond to the outbreak of H1N1? Should President Obama and the federal government be doing more to help, or do you feel they have it under control?

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo: A vial of H1N1 flu vaccine. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Where were you when the first man walked on the moon?

On this day in 1969, millions of Americans sat glued to their television sets to watch as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin touched down on the moon. Even 40 years later, the grainy images sent back to Earth capture the imaginations of the American people. 

On Thursday, in anticipation of the anniversary, NASA released 15 newly digitized scenes of Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon. They also released images of the landing site taken by cameras aboard the  Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Google changed its logo to mark the occasion and even added images of the Apollo landing site to Google Earth, enabling anyone to take a virtual tour of the lunar landscape.

Now we'd like to hear your memories of the moon landing. Where were you? What was your reaction when you first heard the news?

-- Brendan Bigelow

Photo: Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin walks by the footpad of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module. Credit: AP/Photo, NASA, file

Marijuana's THC levels get higher

The L.A. Times' health blog, Booster Shots, this week reported on findings from the University of Mississippi that the active ingredient in marijuana is rising over the decades. Since studies began in the '70s, the report showed that currently the average amount of THC in pot is about 9.6%, more than double what was found in marijuana in the '80s. One of the samples found THC levels as high as 37.2%.

The study prompted a doctor to declare that the results are "worrisome" in that there "is the possibility that the more potent THC might be more effective at triggering the changes in the brain that can lead to addiction; however, more research is needed to establish this link between higher THC potency and higher addiction risk."

The responses by the commentors were mixed:

none:

I hate it when people [like the doctor] make such dumb statements like that. So it's more potent, that just means people don't need as much to get the same amount of thc, it's not like they couldn't get just as much by using more less potent marijuana. Also more potent marijuana would generally cost more... It's quite funny hearing about toxicity and addiction for a drug that is far less harmful in both cases than alcohol, which no one seems to have a problem with.

Matt Smith:

I wonder if this increased potency also carries with it increased risks to human health.

dude:

does this mean I am going to need bigger bags of doritos?