Follow-Up on Ukraine: Not Swine Flu But Plague? Or Not?

What is striking Ukraine still remains a mystery.

On November 9, this blog reported on a deadly flu-like disease that seemed to appear out of nowhere in Ukraine in late October (see this post). At first, it was considered H1N1 swine flu or its mutated version. As the death toll rose, speculations as to what exactly was causing the death went wild: ebola, hemorrhagic fever, pneumonic plague.

There are two latest reports regarding this mystery disease in Ukraine, and they somewhat contradict each other.

The first one is the article that appeared in U.K.'s Daily Express:

MILLION HIT BY 'PLAGUE WORSE THAN SWINE FLU'
(Greg Miskiw, 11/15/09 Daily Express)

"A DEADLY plague could sweep across Europe, doctors fear, after an outbreak of a virus in Ukraine plunged the country and its neighbours into a state of panic.

"A cocktail of three flu viruses are reported to have mutated into a single pneumonic plague, which it is believed may be far more dangerous than swine flu. The death toll has reached 189 and more than 1 million people have been infected, most of them in the nine regions of Western Ukraine.

"President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko has called in the World Health Organisation and a team of nine specialists are carrying out tests in Kiev and Lviv to identify the virus. Samples have been sent to London for analysis.

"In a TV interview, the President [Yushchenko] added: “Unlike similar epidemics in other countries, three causes of serious viral infections came together simultaneously in Ukraine – two seasonal flus and the Californian flu."

What is "California flu"? I looked up but couldn't find it.

The article ends with the comment from a Ukrainian doctor:

"A doctor in Western Ukraine who did not want to be named, said:” We have carried out post mortems on two victims and found their lungs are as black as charcoal.

"“They look like they have been burned. It’s terrifying.”"

But here's the second article, this one from Prisonplanet.com. It is an interview with a coroner in Ukraine, who claims the virus is a mixture of H1N1 and parainfluenza, and it is definitely not pneumonic plague:

Ukraine; Virus Is Mixture Of H1N1 And Parainfluenza, Causes Cardiopulmonary Failure; Indicates BioWeapon (11/14/09 Infowars Ireland)

"Professor Victor Bachinsky, PhD., is a coroner in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine. He provides evidence which indicates that parainfluenza mixed with the H1N1 virus, not pneumonic plague, has caused so much illness in Ukraine. Yet more strains of influenza which have combined, a strong indication that we are dealing with a laboratory developed bio-weapon."

"The Head of the Chernivtsi regional forensic bureau, Professor Victor Bachinsky PhD, makes a strong statement: all the victims of the virus in Bukovina (22 persons aged 20 to 40 years) died not from bilateral (double) pneumonia, as previously thought, but as a result of viral distress syndrome, i.e. the total destruction of the lungs. We caught up with Professor Bachinsky, to find out how he came to this conclusion, and how people can protect themselves from this disease."

Dr. Bachinsky says the lungs of the victims are not black, and that this is definitely not pneumonic plague. If it were the pneumonic plague and if they had 60,000 people infected, they would have "a mortality rate of 59 thousand", he adds.

He goes on to explain the progression of the disease that's infecting Ukrainians:

"This is a viral attack that destroys the lungs.

"It’s not pneumonia! This destruction of the lungs. This strain is very toxic, and if the immune system is weak, there is bleeding in the lungs. In the lungs there is a tiny structure – acinus, which looks like a bunch of grapes. When you breathe, oxygen enters this tiny “bunch of grapes” ( pulmonary alveoli ). On the surface of the acinus are the capillaries, where red blood cells saturate with oxygen and give blood, which supplies all tissues and organs in the body.

"And once the virus enters the lungs – hemorrhaging begins immediately in the acinus. A continuous hemorrhage … It takes several hours. In the blood fibrin is formed, and from it – giolinovaya membrane, resembling a plastic bag. It envelops the acinus, and the person breathes in oxygen, but it is not transferred to the tissues. And people just gasp. There is a cardio-pulmonary insufficiency and cardiogenic shock. People die of cardiogenic shock. And there is no pneumonia. Pneumonia – an inflammation, which is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics cannot help at any stage. There should be absolutely different treatment."

So people basically suffocate, because the oxygen is not being delivered to the tissues. That then triggers cardio-shock. What a nasty way to die.

The doctor ascribe part of the problem to the weakened immune systems of Ukrainians due to the overuse of antibiotics in Ukraine, which anyone can obtain at local pharmacies without prescriptions.

"The primary method of prevention is a face mask. This give 30% extra protection. If you wear glasses – it is 40%, because the virus enters through the mucous membranes.

"It is necessary to improve the human immune system. Not only now, but in general. Garlic, onions, wild rose, viburnum (guelder rose), raspberries, citrus fruit, honey, and other fruits and vegetables – whatever you want. Those with a strong immune system will survive. Those with weaker immune systems will succumb to the disease."

When asked why the Health Ministry hasn't figure it out, he has this to say:

"Perhaps this is due to the fact that there are scientists who are working on a purely theoretical basis. And there are scientists who have seen the autopsy results. I practice as head of the regional forensic bureau and as a professor. The fact that we have established this diagnosis – it is not just to my credit, and this is not my personal opinion. This is the opinion of specialists, morphologists and doctors in Bukovina. There are five professors in our group – I just head the group."

(Original article in Russian by Anna Yashchenko here: http://www.unian.net/rus/news/news-346721.html)

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