What is swine flu?Like people, pigs can get influenza (flu), but swine flu viruses aren't the same as human flu viruses. Swine flu doesn't often infect people, and the rare human cases that have occurred in the past have mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. But the current swine flu outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus that has spread from person to person -- and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs.
What are swine flu symptoms?Symptoms of swine flu are like regular
flu symptoms and include fever, cough,
sore throat, body aches,
headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and
vomiting associated with swine flu. Those symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions, and that means that you and your doctor can't know, just based on your symptoms, if you've got swine flu. It takes a lab test to tell whether it's swine flu or some other condition.
If I think I have swine flu, what should I do? When should I see my doctor?
If you have flu symptoms, stay home, and when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Afterward, throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. That will help prevent your flu from spreading.
If you've got flu symptoms, and you've recently been to a high-risk area like Mexico, CDC officials recommend that you see your doctor. If you have flu symptoms but you haven't been in a high-risk area, you can still see a doctor -- that's your call.
Keep in mind that your doctor will not be able to determine whether you have swine flu, but he or she would take a sample from you and send it to a state health department lab for testing to see if it's swine flu. If your doctor suspects swine flu, he or she would be able to write you a prescription for
Tamiflu or Relenza. Those
drugs may not be required; U.S. swine flu patients have made a full recovery without it.
SOURCE LINK: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/20061101/swine-flu-faqH1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
H1N1 Flu website last updated April 30, 2009, 10:30 AM ET
U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection(As of April 30, 2009, 10:30 AM ET)
States
# of laboratory confirmed cases
Deaths
Arizona
1
California
14
Indiana
1
Kansas
2
Massachusetts
2
Michigan
1
Nevada
1
New York
50
Ohio
1
South Carolina
10
Texas
26
1
TOTAL COUNTS
109 cases
1 death
International Human Cases of Swine Flu InfectionSee:
World Health OrganizationIn response to an intensifying outbreak in the United States and internationally caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to
Phase 5 on April 29, 2009. A Phase 5 alert is a “strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.”
The United States Government has declared a public health emergency in the United States. CDC’s response goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this emergency. CDC is issuing and updating
interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation. CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is susceptible to the prescription
antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. In addition, the Federal Government and manufacturers have begun the process of developing a vaccine against this new virus.
SOURCE LINK: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/index.htmSwine Flu is terrifying everyone, no doubt.
