What to do If you have Swin Flu

Swine flu spreading fast Czech Republic 2011

2011-02-05T03:38:00.000-08:00

Doctors report a heightened incidence of swine flu across the country with some regions having crossed the threshold of an epidemic. South Moravia reports a 17 percent increase in flu cases in the past week alone and five schools in the region have closed due to illness. The country’s chief hygiene officer has advised all Czech hospitals to close their doors to visitors. A dozen swine flu patients are reported to be on support ventilation in serious condition.

Slovakia reports its first swine flu death of season

2011-01-22T01:51:00.000-08:00

Slovakian health officials Friday confirmed the country's first death due to swine flu this winter, dpa reported.

The victim was a 40-year-old man from the eastern city of Humenne. He died December 22.

Gabriel Simko, the acting director of the Slovakian Hygeine Authority, confirmed the death to the TASR news agency. Officials have reported seven infections due to the H1N1 virus this season, Simko said.

Swine flu - prevention, treatment and vaccine

2011-01-22T01:48:00.000-08:00

If you think you have developed flu-like symptoms, you should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. (Contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 who will use a checklist to diagnose if you have swine flu. If diagnosed, you will be given a voucher number for a ‘flu friend’ to get anti-viral drugs from a collection point).

Contact your GP for advice; most people with ‘flu need only rest in bed with plenty of fluids to drink and paracetamol for their temperature and aches and pains. However, vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children under five, the over 65’s and those with a serious pre-existing condition such as heart disease, asthma, diabetes or immunosuppressive illnesses may need extra treatment such as anti-viral drugs.

These drugs, which include Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) or Relenza (Zanamivir), are available free of charge on the NHS. Novel H1N1 (swine flu) seems to respond to these medicines in the same way as seasonal flu. Pregnant women, people with health conditions and the under-ones will still all be referred to their GPs.

The treatments are not a cure but can reduce the risk of infection for those who have been exposed to the virus, reduce the ability of a person with the virus to pass it on, and shorten the course of the illness when someone has flu. Most importantly these drugs treatments reduce the risk of serious complications and death. For maximum effect, the drugs should be given as early as possible to someone who has the flu.

However, as with any medicines there may be side effects from anti-viral drugs. Many people with swine flu will only have mild symptoms and they may decide that a combination of rest and simple remedies for symptoms are all that they need.

Treat symptoms as they arise. Try to keep well hydrated with plenty of clear fluids. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen (children should not be given aspirin because of the risk of Reyes syndrome) for aches and pains, and use simple remedies such as cough syrups and vapour rubs. Try to rest as much as possible.

As with all infections, good hygiene is absolutely essential to reduce the risk of spread or contact with the virus:

* Wash your hands regularly
* Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
* Use tissues and dispose of them carefully
* Clean hard surfaces regularly with a standard cleaning fluid
* Avoid close contact with people who have fever and a cough

The effectiveness of wearing a face mask in preventing transmission of the flu virus isn’t yet clear, although it may give some protection to those people such as health professionals who work closely with someone with symptoms of flu.

Don’t worry about eating pork products – there is no evidence that swine flu can be picked up that way. Even if virus is present in the meat, thorough cooking will destroy it.

Return of bird flu to South Korea sparks cull

2010-12-31T03:12:00.000-08:00

South Korea has confirmed its first outbreak of avian flu since 2008 and is culling many thousands of birds.

The agricultural ministry confirmed that two farms in the centre and south-west of the country had been contaminated with the H5N1 virus.

So far, more than 100,000 chickens have been culled and more than 10,000 ducks.

South Korea was the second country in Asia to register bird flu, after Thailand, in 2003, suffering three major outbreaks until 2008.

Earlier this month, officials in Seoul confirmed that three cases of bird flu had been found in wild migratory birds that had arrived for winter.

The authorities have warned poultry farmers to take better precautions against wild birds infecting their flocks, including the erection of nets.

The latest outbreak was first detected on Wednesday when birds started dying.

One of the poultry farms affected is in the central city of Cheonan and the other is in the south-western city of Iksan, 90km (56 miles) and 230km (143 miles) south of Seoul, respectively.

Both are now under quarantine, meaning that the movements of people and vehicles are restricted.
Farming challenge

Exports of chicken, duck and related products will be affected.

"All the 10,700 ducks at the farm in Cheonan and 17,000 breeding chickens at the farm in Iksan have already been culled and buried, together with 92,000 chickens raised at nearby farms," the ministry said in a press statement.

South Korea has embarked on major culls before: more than eight million birds in 2008, 2.8m in the 2006-07 outbreak and 5.28m in 2003-2004.

South Korea has not registered any human fatalities from bird flu. Four people were infected in 2003.

Separately, South Korea recently confirmed an outbreak of 66 cases of foot and mouth disease, and has registered swine flu infections that have caused the death of one man.

More than half a million cattle, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals have been culled in the past month, with vaccinations carried out on 313,000 animals.

A month-long quarantine effort has been struggling to keep pace with the contagious disease, since a confirmed infection on 29 November.

One of the farms affected, in Gyeonggi province just west of Seoul is the single largest producer of cattle in the country.

Agriculture ministry estimates suggest that losses from the foot-and-mouth outbreak could exceed $463m (£300m).

Swine flu death toll climbs to 66 in Madhya Pradesh

2010-09-22T05:02:00.001-07:00

Bhopal, Sep 22 (PTI) With one more person succumbing to swine flu, the death toll due to the disease has risen to 66 in Madhya Pradesh, officials said today. Ramchandra (55) from Ratlam district succumbed to viral disease at the M Y Hospital in Indore on Monday, they said.

Bhopal has recorded 29 deaths since August while Indore (22), Jabalpur (10) Gwalior (3) and Harda (1) after the viral infection resurfaced in the state during monsoon. About 80 people are undergoing treatment for symptoms of HINI and the condition of 15 is stated to be critical.

Five more persons tested positive for the influenza virus yesterday. With this, the number of HINI cases in the state has gone up to 266 so far.

Swine flu cases increase with monsoon

2010-08-17T02:59:00.000-07:00

Health Ministry officials are worried as the number of swine flu cases reported from various parts of the country are increasing with the monsoon. A total of 548 fresh cases were reported last week, the highest for the current year.

According to the health ministry, 38 people died of the virus between July 19 and 25.

While the four southern states and Maharashtra continued to be severely hit, West Bengal and Delhi also joined the list of flu cases. Maharashtra reported the highest number, with 230 cases this week, followed by Kerala with 108 cases. Karnataka reported 86 cases while Andhra Pradesh and Delhi reported 34 each, followed by West Bengal with 29 cases. Tamil Nadu reported 11 cases.

As many as 19 deaths were reported from Maharashtra, eight from Kerala, five from Andhra Pradesh, two in Delhi and one in West Bengal. A handful of cases have also been reported from Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the health ministry has recommended the use of swine flu vaccines to avoid the threat.

'The moisture due to monsoon is giving a good breeding ground to the virus, precautionary measures such as washing of hands, covering the nose and avoiding crowded places must be followed,' a health ministry official told IANS.

According to the health ministry, 1,692 deaths have been reported due to swine flu since its outbreak in May last year

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2010-04-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

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2009 H1N1 Flu: International Situation Update

2010-04-04T04:14:00.001-07:00

This report provides an update to the international flu situation using data collected through March 28, 2010, and reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 1. WHO continues to report laboratory-confirmed 2009 H1N1 flu cases and deathsExternal Web Site Icon on its Web page. These laboratory-confirmed cases represent a substantial underestimation of total cases in the world, as most countries focus surveillance and laboratory testing only on people with severe illness.

Currently, 2009 H1N1 influenza activity is highest in the tropical regions of Asia, the Americas and Africa. In the temperate areas of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, 2009 H1N1 influenza virus continues to circulate at low levels. Although the 2009 H1N1 virus continues to be the predominant influenza virus circulating worldwide, influenza B viruses are predominant in most of East Asia and have been detected at low levels across Southeast and Western Asia, East Africa, and parts of Eastern and Northern Europe. Seasonal influenza A viruses are still being detected in parts of Asia and Australia.

Selected Highlights

* According to WHO, the majority of 2009 H1N1 virus isolates tested worldwide remain sensitive to oseltamivir, an antiviral medicine used to treat flu. Among 2009 H1N1 isolates tested worldwide, 268 have been found to be resistant to oseltamivir – 64 of these isolates were detected in the United States.
* Influenza B remains the predominant flu strain in East Asia, accounting for 66.7% of all influenza viruses reported in the Republic of Korea, 71.6% in the Russian Federation, 84.2% in China, and 100% in Mongolia and Iran. An increase in influenza B activity has also been reported in some European countries.
* Seasonal influenza A activity has been reported recently in some countries in recent weeks, including China, Ghana and Thailand.
* On February 18, 2010, WHO published recommendations for the following viruses to be used for influenza vaccines in the 2010-2011 influenza season of the Northern Hemisphere:

o an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus;
o an A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus*;
o a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.

* A/Wisconsin/15/2009 is an A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus and is a 2010 Southern Hemisphere vaccine virus.

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Swine Flu Cases Appear To Have Peaked

2009-12-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Times:"The current wave of pandemic H1N1 appears to have peaked, with four weeks of declines in several key indicators, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. Despite the decrease, the outbreak is continuing to take a heavy toll of hospitalizations and deaths, especially among children. Widespread activity of H1N1, also called swine flu, was reported in 32 states ... in the week ending Nov. 21, down from 43 states the week before and 48 a month ago. Influenza-like illnesses accounted for 4.3% of all visits to doctors' offices during the week, down from nearly double that proportion in October. That is still well above the normal level, 2.3%, for this time of year, however" (Maugh, 12/1).

The Washington Post: "While officials warned that the number of people getting infected with the H1N1 virus remains high, and cases could surge again, the extended period of falling activity suggests that the intensity of the outbreak has reached a high. ... 'We're far from being out of the woods,' [Thomas Skinner, spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta] said. 'There's still a lot of flu out there. And we wouldn't be surprised to see another uptick in activity as we approach the end of December and beginning of January, when kids come back from Christmas break.' But other experts said they thought the wave had peaked" (Stein, 12/1).

USA Today reports: "The steady decline in the USA and elsewhere prompted the World Health Organization to propose Friday that swine flu may have peaked in North America, the Caribbean and parts of Europe, though the 'winter influenza season continues to be intense.' U.S. officials challenged WHO's hopeful assessment, saying it is too soon to declare that swine flu is tapering off. ... As of Monday, 66 million doses of swine flu vaccine were available for states to order, and more were on the way, the CDC's Thomas Skinner says" (Sternberg, 11/30).

Meanwhile, The San Bernardino (Calif.) Sun reports that fewer blacks are receiving the vaccine: "San Bernardino County public health officials this week plan to make a special pitch to get more blacks to roll up their sleeves for the H1N1 vaccine. ... Alonzo Louis Plough, director of emergency preparedness and response at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said last week that his agency had already made attempts at special outreach and participation in the H1N1 campaign, and participation is still lagging. ... Dr. Eric Frykman, health officer for Riverside County, said that he has asked clinic managers to informally start tracking participation by ethnic group" (Steinberg, 11/29).

This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at

Online Test Helps You Self-Diagnose H1N1 Flu

2009-11-02T06:49:00.000-08:00

Feeling sick? Wondering if it's the H1N1 flu or just a regular old go-away-don't-come-near-me, flu?

Face it, your doctor may not be able to squeeze you right in. But you may be able to figure it out using a Web-based self-assessment tool developed by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta. The tool is now available on several national Web sites, including flu.gov , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Microsoft's H1N1 Response Center .

The online test includes questions like, do you have a fever? Have you been short of breath? Do you have a pain or pressure in your chest that you didn't have before? Were you feeling better and now a fever or cough is returning?

The online test includes questions like, do you have a fever? Have you been short of breath? Do you have a pain or pressure in your chest that you didn't have before? Were you feeling better and now a fever or cough is returning?

The H1N1 flu , also widely known as the swine flu, is a fairly new influenza virus that has spread around the world. The CDC reports that it first appeared in the United States this past April. By June 11, the World Health Organization categorized it as a pandemic . Because its extremely contagious, hospitals and health care workers have been bracing for the H1N1 to hit hard this fall.

With concerns about the new flu running high , health care providers expect to get slammed with a mounting wave of people rushing in to find out if they have the H1N1 virus.

The online test, dubbed the Strategy for Off-Site Rapid Triage, is designed to help a lot of people figure out if they need to see their doctor or go to a hospital.

"This Web site is carefully designed to encourage those who are severely ill, and those at increased risk for serious illness, to contact their doctor, while reassuring large numbers of people with a mild illness that it is safe to recover at home," Arthur Kellermann, professor of emergency medicine and an associate dean at the Emory School of Medicine, said in a statement. "Hopefully, providing easy-to-understand information to the public will reduce the number of people who are needlessly exposed to H1N1 influenza in crowded clinic and ER waiting rooms, and allow America's doctors and nurses to focus their attention on those who need us most."

Swine Flu Emergency Should Put IT on Alert

2009-11-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

Though the H1N1 flu has been declared a national emergency by President Barack Obama, experts say that many companies remain ill-prepared for its potential consequences, which could include employee absentee rates of 40% or more.

While last month's emergency declaration is targeted mostly at helping health care providers and government agencies bypass regulatory requirements to provide critical care, experts say it should also be a red flag for the IT and business communities.

Organizations probably have not allocated enough resources for virtual private networks nor tested VPNs for the fact that 80% of their staff could be working from home," said Al Berman, executive director of DRI International, a training institute that focuses on helping businesses prepare for emergencies. "We ran some tests with companies, and they ran out of TCP/IP addresses in five minutes."

Berman said that many businesses are probably delaying VPN upgrades because of increasing bandwidth costs. For example, he said, DRI recently met with officials of a large insurance provider and found that it would cost the company $1 million to boost bandwidth enough to support 40% of its staff working from home.

The federal government's Flu.gov Web site, managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offers guidance to businesses about what to do in the event of a pandemic. Its suggestions range from making sure sick employees stay home to appointing a pandemic coordinator or team to oversee the preparation and implementation of a disaster plan.

Employers should "send a very strong message to employees to stay home if they're sick. No one is that essential," said Kim Elliott, deputy director of Trust for America's Health, a public health advocacy group. "You don't want employees coming in and infecting others to the point where your business shuts down."

The pandemic coordinator or team should monitor employees to ensure that they follow basic rules of hygiene, such as washing their hands, and make sure that face masks are available, according to the Flu.gov Web site.

Elliott said that the planning process should also include an assessment of how the absence of a large number of employees would affect operations, with recommendations on how to keep things running under such circumstances.

"That may mean cross-training employees in some key business functions," Elliott said, citing IT infrastructure maintenance, bookkeeping and accounting duties, and some customer-facing activities.

Businesses should also develop a plan to communicate with municipal agencies, which determine whether bus routes, schools or even businesses need to be shut down, Berman said.
The national emergency declaration came after a weekly U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report called FluView noted that 43 states are now reporting widespread influenza activity and that H1N1 has caused 1,000 deaths in the U.S.

elevating its health emergency alert status to Phase 6 -- its highest level. At that time, the number of influenza cases was close to 30,000 worldwide. The WHO now says there are 414,000 confirmed cases of H1N1 and that there have been nearly 5,000 H1N1-related deaths.

iPhone App Tracks Swine Flu

2009-11-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

A new, free iPhone app from the creators of HealthMap shows the outbreaks of the H1N1 swine flu in your area and elsewhere. The app, called Outbreaks Near Me, finds your location and shows a map with red pins indicating recent outbreaks.

The app updates every hour using reports from more than 30,000 sources. Users can report updates such as school closings through the app. The app was launched last month and now has been downloaded 81,000 times.

Red pins dot the state of California, with heavy concentrations in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Perhaps one of those red pins includes my friend (and many in his East Bay company) who came down with the swine flu a couple of weeks ago.

There are no warning signs, he says. One day you're happily working in your cubicle, and the next you're fighting a fever, vomiting and worse. He lost eight pounds in only a few days after losing his appetite for food and liquids. Luckily, I hadn't caught up with him in a while.

John Brownstein, an assistant professor at Children's Hospital Boston and one of HealthMap's creators, told the Wall Street Journal that the goal of the free app isn't to spark panic, rather to spread the word. To this end, he says, an app solely running on the iPhone isn't ideal. HealthMap is currently developing an app for Google's Android and, later, for RIM's BlackBerry.

Work instructions if you become ill or exposed

2009-10-29T01:31:00.000-07:00

Individuals who pose a risk of infecting others as a result of personal illness with H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) or who have been exposed through direct caregiving may not enter IBM work environments until the risk ceases.

Please be sure Integrated Health Services receives notification as soon as possible about an illness or exposure concern. Immediate action may be needed to evaluate next steps associated with these issues. If you are unable to notify IHS yourself, please contact your manager to handle in your behalf. To reach an IHS representative, please refer to the local IHS team to whom you would report workplace health concerns. Please see below for specific instructions:

Illness
If you have been diagnosed with H1N1 Flu or have symptoms of this illness including fever and cough, sore throat or body aches you are not permitted to come into any IBM work environment (including customer). This restriction applies for a minimum of seven calendar days following the onset of symptoms or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

For all other (non-influenza) illnesses and symptoms, the above requirement does not apply. Contact your manager or Integrated Health Services (for IBM employees) and follow the normal return to work practices.

Exposure
Management of H1N1 Flu exposure situations can vary based on the nature of exposure, country requirements and business considerations. In some circumstances, individual risk assessments may be required. Integrated Health Services should participate in those risk assessments.

Travel from an H1N1 Flu affected community/country:
IBM is not requiring anyone to self quarantine at this time as a result of travel.
NOTE: Self quarantine means restricting entry to IBM work environments for 7 calendar days from the last date of exposure (including offices, meetings, customer locations, etc.)
Some countries may impose a period of self quarantine. In such cases, country regulations apply.
Some customers may require a period of self quarantine. In such cases, a business unit decision along with IHS consultation is appropriate.

Caregiver Exposure
If you are directly caring for someone who is ill with H1N1 flu (such as a small child or incapacitated adult) and have had prolonged periods of close face to face contact such as during feeding or bathing the person, it may be possible for you to transmit the illness to someone else just prior to becoming ill yourself. Because of this, you are restricted from coming into an IBM work environment (including customer) for seven days from the date you stop providing direct care. During this time period, you should conduct daily self screening for illness symptoms and fever.
In all other circumstances, exposed individuals may come into the workplace unless otherwise directed by the local/country health department or customer/client instructions. The exposed individual should conduct self screening for illness symptoms and fever daily for seven days from the last date of exposure.

Self screening
Individuals are asked to perform H1N1 Flu illness self screening following exposure to a confirmed or suspected case.

To conduct self screening, please perform the following steps:

Step One: Check whether you have symptoms of illness including fever and cough, sore throat or body aches.

Step Two: Check your temperature using a standard, good quality thermometer following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step Three: If you have symptoms as described in Step One or you have a temperature greater than 100.4o F or 38o C, you must not go into the workplace.

You should:

Notify your manager that you are unable to report to work.
Contact an IHS representative; please refer to the local IHS team to whom you would report workplace health concerns.
Contact your health care provider for further health instructions, especially if you are at higher risk for complications.
Refer to the guidance in Work Instructions if You Become Ill or Exposed.

Stop the spread of H1N1 Flu

2009-10-29T01:25:00.000-07:00

This virus spreads from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that seasonal influenza viruses spread, through coughing and sneezing. Cough etiquette and hand washing are essential to stopping the spread and preventing exposure to the virus.

Wash Hands:

Before eating or preparing food.
After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
After using restroom facilities.

Handwashing Technique
Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Rinse well, with hands held downward. Dry with a paper towel, then use the towel to turn off the faucet.
For health reasons, IBM is only recommending hand sanitizers be present in work areas when soap and water are not available. Though hand sanitizers can be effective in killing some germs, they are less effective than soap and water for removal of germ containing debris on the hands that can be deposited when coughing and sneezing.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs often spread when a person touches something contaminated and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth.

Go home if you get sick at work
Ill individuals should leave the work environment immediately or as soon as possible. Inform your manager or lead that you are ill and need to leave the workplace. Keep at least 1 meter/3 feet from others to protect them from getting sick. Practice cough etiquette. Cover your mouth and nose if coughing or sneezing, using tissues and disposing of them properly. Wash your hands afterward.

For tips on how to stay healthy while traveling, please check the Online Swine Flu Help. For country specific advisories and mandatory quarantine or restrictions on community movement for those who exhibit H1N1 illness symptoms or were exposed to ill travelers, please refer to International SOS Country Guides (see Closures & Quarantine, Airport Screening or Travel Restrictions) or country government agencies such as embassies and state departments.

H1N1 Flu Facts from the World Health Organization (WHO)

2009-10-29T01:23:00.000-07:00

H1N1 is now the dominant flu strain in most parts of the world. Studies have detected no signs that the virus has mutated to a more virulent or lethal form.
The pandemic will persist in the coming months as the virus continues to move through susceptible populations.
The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and may include fever, cough, headache, body aches, chills, fatigue, sneezing, sore throat and runny nose. A significant number of people who have been infected with this new H1N1 virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.
The overwhelming majority of patients continue to experience mild illness.
At higher risk of serious complications from H1N1 flu are people age 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or immunosuppressed).

While this is a new health problem that may cause concern, there are many actions you can take to protect yourself, your family and the workplace.

Swine flu vaccine ready, enters Europe

2009-09-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

Global pharma major Novartis Friday announced it is ready with a swine flu vaccine and has started first deliveries to governments in Europe, giving hopes to people in many parts of the world.
"Novartis has already started first deliveries of pandemic vaccines under quarantine to governments in Europe, despite the initially low yields with the current production seed strain provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). A new seed strain could provide higher volumes," the company said in a statement issued in Switzerland.

The company announced that Focetria®, the Novartis Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine, Friday received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).

The company has started first deliveries of pandemic vaccines under quarantine to European countries, which means the vaccine is now ready with the governments but only after getting the formal approval the governments can start vaccination.

"The positive opinion clears the way for European Union approval in all 27 member states as well as in Iceland and Norway. Today's announcement marks a significant milestone in bringing a pandemic vaccine to market in Europe," the company added.

"Only three months after the declaration of the pandemic by the WHO, Novartis was able to ship the first batches of our pandemic vaccine under quarantine to governments in Europe pending EU approval," said Andrin Oswald, CEO of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics.

This CHMP positive opinion paves the way for EU approval, which will allow governments to begin their vaccination campaigns with the goal of reaching more patients before the rapidly spreading virus reaches them, Oswald added.

The pharma major, however, did not give details of the number of doses it has despatched or the countries which have received the first deliveries.

More than 150 countries have been affected by the new millennium's first pandemic. It has taken hundreds of lives across the globe.

In India, the virus has killed 286 people and infected more than 9,200 people till Sep 25.

Pvt hospitals still not ready for Swine flu

2009-09-24T00:06:00.000-07:00

More than a week after Delhi Government's second deadline expired on September 15, private hospitals are yet to open doors to influenza A H1N1 patients.

Delhi reported 2,079 cases - 80 new cases - and 9 deaths till Wednesday evening. While most of the hospitals claimed to be ready and waiting for the state health department's approval, State Health Minister Kiran Walia said they were not.

"Our experts are going on a round of private hospitals virtually every day, and there are minor things that are hampering the approval process like system of ventilation," said Walia. "These hospitals aren't used to the concept of isolation and mostly work in a centralised system.

We may delay it by a few days but absolute compliance is a must. We can't cut corners and risk lives of people," she said.

"Our set-up is ready and we have conveyed this to the health department. Now, we are waiting for their inspection," said B.K. Rao, chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

"Our infrastructure is in place, but we are awaiting formal approval from the government," said the Moolchand Medcity spokesperson. Similar reactions were given by Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, which said the hospital was waiting for the second inspection before starting the facility for swine flu patients.

On August 12, Principal Secretary (health) J.P. Singh issued a circular directing "all 200-bed non-government medical institutions/hospitals to set up a 10-bed isolation treatment facility with 15 days". The direction was issued under section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, which empowers the state government to take special measures and prescribe regulations in case of a dangerous epidemic disease.

"The step was taken as a precautionary measure in case the disease takes epidemic shape," said Singh. The hospitals had asked for more time and the state government extended the deadline by 15 days.

But none of the wards were functional

H1N1 vaccine data shows no side effects

2009-09-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Early data on the H1N1 vaccines show the vaccines to be highly effective with no adverse effects. Two peer-reviewed articles now published in the online first addition of new England Journal of medicine, which has the preliminary data of the monovalent H1N1 vaccine, have shown that the vaccines are working in a large number of healthy adults.

The two rivals, Greenberg et al and Clark et al, describe preliminary data on the immunogenicity of the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine. This data has been awaited, as governments, public health officials, and other stakeholders respond to the first influenza pandemic in over 40 years.

The study by Greenberg et al. shows that a single dose of nonadjuvanted vaccine containing the usual 15 ï¿½g of hemagglutinin (HA) antigen is immunogenic, or creates immunity, in a high proportion of healthy young and middle-aged adults. The study was conducted in Australia during a time when the virus was circulating, and one participant had laboratory-confirmed infection with the 2009 H1N1 virus.

The report evaluates immunogenicity and safety of the vaccine 21 days after the first of two scheduled doses is given. A total of 240 subjects, equally divided into two age groups, less than and over 50 years of age, underwent randomisation to receive either 15 ï¿½g or 30 ï¿½g of hemagglutinin antigen by intramuscular injection. No deaths or serious adverse events were reported, but mild discomfort like headaches were reported in a few cases.

The study by Clark et al, involving 175 adults between 18 to 50 years of age, to test the monovalent influenza A/California/2009 (H1N1) surface-antigen vaccine, concluded that the vaccine generates antibody responses within 14 days after a single dose is administered. The antibody tier protection was higher in those who had received two doses of the same vaccine.

China's mass swine flu vaccination

2009-09-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

China is to become the first country in the world to start a mass swine flu vaccination programme for its population following a big surge in the number of cases.

No one's died yet from the virus in China but the authorities there describe the situation as 'grim'.

The big rise coincides with the start of the school year and the approaching winter.

Quentin Somerville reports.

Most Germans don't want swine flu vaccinations

2009-09-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

The German government has ordered 18 million more vaccinations against swine flu. But two-thirds of Germans say they don't want to be immunized.

In the latest step to fight an anticipated breakout of the H1N1 swine flu virus, Germany's 16 state health ministers have announced they plan to order another 18 million vaccination units. That's enough to immunize nine million more people and ensures there is enough stock should demand surge later in the year.

The health ministers have already ordered 50 million swine flu vaccinations for 25 million people, as each person requires two doses of the vaccine. That means there will be enough vaccine to cover 40 percent of the German population.

The latest order is subject to funding being available. The thorny question of who will bear the cost of this – the federal government, the health insurers, the state health departments or local authorities – is being discussed at a special working group meeting in Berlin on Wednesday.

Two-thirds reject swine flu immunization

A new study conducted by the Forsa Institute for DAK, one of Germany's largest health insurers, revealed that a surprising number of Germans do not plan to get immunized.

In the study of 1,001 people aged between 18 and 60 years, 62 percent said they would "definitely not," or "almost definitely not" let themselves be vaccinated this autumn when the first swine flu vaccines become available.

Eighty-two percent of Germans said that swine flu poses a "fairly low" or "very low" danger.

Bavarians, in Germany's south, in particular rejected vaccination. Only nine percent said they would "definitely" go to their doctor to be immunized compared to 14 percent of Germans on average. It's a different picture in eastern Germany, where almost a quarter of those who took part in the study said they were "definitely" going to get immunized.

"If the situation changes in the next few weeks, than we expect the number of people prepared to vaccinate themselves to increase sharply," said Horst Boelle, the director of the claims department at DAK.

Are vaccinations worth the risk?

The German Medical Association is urging the government to reassess its mass vaccinations plan, the largest such scheme in postwar history.

"Many people have already had swine flu and never even noticed that had it," said Frank Ulrich Montgomery, the association's vice president.

Montgomery also questioned whether the risks of vaccinating outweigh those of actually getting swine flu. Swine flu is highly infectious but it produces fairly mild symptoms and no one in Germany has died of it so far.

"The disease could take a turn for the worse, and claim its first fatalities," said Deputy Health Minister Klaus Theo Schroeder.

"I have the impression that we are now able to do that which we need to do in the next few weeks," he added.

The first vaccinations are expected to be available in October and more units will be delivered on a weekly basis. Schroeder said mass vaccinations should be completed by the end of January or early February next year.

Testing of the vaccine is ongoing. In one pilot study, it was shown that a single vaccination was enough to provide protection in 80 percent of all test persons.

What scientists know about swine flu

2009-09-02T02:43:00.000-07:00

Preliminary analysis of the swine flu virus suggests it is a fairly mild strain, scientists say.

It is believed that a further mutation would be needed in order for the H1N1 virus to cause the mass deaths that have been estimated by some.

But at this point, it is impossible to predict with any accuracy how the virus will continue to evolve.

UK experts at the National Institute for Medical Research outlined on Friday the work they are due to start on samples of the virus sent from the US.

The research, being done at the World Influenza Centre in Mill Hill, will be vital for working out the structure of the virus, where it came from, how quickly it is capable of spreading and its potential to cause illness.

Structure

Analysis done so far suggests what they are dealing with is a mild virus and nowhere near as dangerous as the H5N1 avian flu strain that has caused scientists so much concern over the past decade.

Influenza A viruses are classified according to two proteins on the outer surface of the virus - hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N).

The swine flu strain is a H1N1 virus, the same type as seasonal flu which circulates throughout the world every year, and kills roughly 0.1% of those infected or higher in an epidemic year.

Professor Wendy Barclay, chair in influenza virology at Imperial College London says initial indications suggest there is nothing about the genetic make-up of the new virus which is a cause for particular concern.

The key to its potential lies largely in the H1 protein.

"There are two aspects - one is which receptors the virus tends to bind to and what we see is that it is binding to the upper respiratory tract rather than deep in the lungs."

When a flu virus binds to the upper respiratory tract, it tends to cause mild illness but can be easily spread as people cough and sneeze, Professor Barclay explains.

If a virus binds further down in the lungs, it tends to cause much more severe illness, as in the case of the H5N1 avian flu virus which has caused concern in recent years.

"With the H1 gene we also look at the cleavage site," she adds.

"The virus has to be cut into two pieces to be active and it uses an enzyme in the host to do that.

"Most influenza viruses are restricted to the respiratory tract because they use enzymes in the lungs.

"But some, like H5 viruses can evolve to cut into two pieces outside the lungs, so they can replicate outside the respiratory tract."

Analysis

These initial indications are largely guesswork from looking at the genetic sequence of the virus and comparing that to what is known from work on other influenza viruses.

It will take weeks and months of biological analysis to properly get a handle on the potential of the H1N1 virus.

The team at Mill Hill, one of four World Health Organisation's centres for influenza research will be working in close collaboration with the Health Protection Agency who are carrying out testing in the UK, and their findings will also feed into the development of a potential vaccine.

Soon, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge will begin the genetic sequencing of the virus and will also be monitoring any mutations or changes in how virulent it is.

However, there is one other reassuring aspect about what is known so far.

That is there seems to be nothing unusual as yet in another protein in the centre of the virus, called NS1, which is linked to the strength of the immune response the virus produces.

In some more pathogenic viruses, it is this NS1 protein which initiates a "cytokine storm", a particularly severe immune reaction that can be fatal in even healthy young people.

Predictions

Scientists have also played down concerns that the milder H1N1 virus, could combine with the more dangerous H5N1 avian flu virus, causing a super virus that has the ability to both spread easily between humans and cause severe illness.

This is unlikely - or at least just as unlikely as it ever was and the H5N1 virus has been around for a decade without combining with normal seasonal flu.

Professor Jonathan Ball, an expert in molecular virology at the University of Nottingham said: "The chance of swine H1N1 combining with H5N1 is as likely as any other strain recombining.

"What this outbreak does highlight is how difficult it is to predict new pandemic strains.

"Many people suspected that H5N1 was the most likely candidate for the next pandemic strain, but now it appears that this was a mistake - but that's not to say H5N1 or another reassortment containing parts of H5N1 may not happen in the future.

"That's the trouble - you can't predict."

India's swine flu deaths 101, preventive homeopathy advised

2009-09-01T23:44:00.000-07:00

India Tuesday reported one more swine flu death, taking the total toll due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus to 101, health authorities said here.

The latest death was reported from Goa. While two deaths in Karnataka were suspected to be due to the virus, lab reports were still awaited.

Of the 101 deaths, Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of deaths, 55, followed by 27 in Andhra Pradesh.

The union health ministry recommended preventive homeopathy medicine, Arsenicum album 30. The decision to advise people to take the preventive medicine was taken after the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH), a state-run research wing, gave the suggestion for curbing the spread of the diseases.

'It has recommended one doze of the medicine daily on empty stomach for three days. The dose should be repeated after one month by following the same schedule in case flu like conditions prevail in the area,' the ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 114 people were tested positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus Tuesday in the country, taking the total number of cases to 4,101.

Maharashtra continued to top the charts both in terms of deaths and positive cases. On Tuesday, 48 fresh cases were from the state alone. So far, about 1,687 people have been affected due to the virus in the state.

It was followed by Delhi in the number of cases. At least 665 people have been infected with the disease in the capital. On Tuesday, 10 fresh cases were reported in the Indian capital.

Karnataka reported 22 fresh cases, taking the total number of people infected with the virus to 463 - the third highest in the country.

Other fresh cases were reported from West Bengal (18) and Orissa (3). One case each was reported from Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh while Puducherry and Chandigarh reported two swine flu cases each.

Meanwhile, a government study has found that swine flu is killing more young and middle-aged people and those suffering from associated diseases like diabetes and chronic heart ailment.

'We have conducted a study and found that more than 50 percent of those affected by the virus were in the age group of 15-45 years,' R.K. Srivastava, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services, told reporters.

'Deaths were also due to late reporting to identified health facilities and delay in initiation of Tamiflu,' he said.

The report, which was presented to Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during Monday's stock-taking meeting of the ministry, studied the first 82 deaths that occurred till Aug 31.

Among the dead were 43 men and 39 women including three pregnant women.

Srivastava said that of the 82 deaths, 61 were in urban areas and 19 in rural areas.

He said there were five deaths in the age group of 0-5 years and three from 6-15 age group. Thirteen victims were from the age group of 16 to 25 years, while 18 people died in the age group of 26-35 years.

Srivastava said 24 people died in the age group of 36-45, as compared to 18 in the age group of 46-65. Only one person died in the above 65-year category.

Q&A: Swine flu vaccination

2009-08-31T00:15:00.000-07:00

The government has unveiled its vaccination programme.

A number of priority groups have been identified and the process should start in October.

What is the current status of the vaccine?

Doses of the vaccine have already been produced. A total of 300,000 doses from the two firms the UK has contracts with are due to be delivered this month.

Human trials are now getting under way and if they go well regulators could approve the jabs by the end of September.

Like seasonal flu vaccines, the jabs can be licensed under a fast-track procedure.

The vaccines have already been tested with a different strain of flu and proven to be safe.

So they just need limited testing with the correct strain to get the green light.

This means the process can take just a month or so, unlike new drugs which can take years to get approval.

How have the priority groups been identified?

The government's official vaccination experts have been studying at the evidence about swine flu for the past few months.

The health service just does not have enough capacity to administer the two shots of the swine flu vaccine needed to give protection to everyone in time for the winter.

So, instead, the government has announced a list of priority groups.

These are mainly people who are most at risk of complications or, in the case of health and social care workers, the people who are most likely to come into contact with the virus.

Many had thought all children would be immunised as they have been getting the infection in the highest numbers.

But the experts decided against such a mass programme as the overwhelming majority of those developing complications were the children with serious health problems.

How does this compare to the seasonal flu programme?
The initial first wave of the vaccination programme is not that different from the average seasonal flu vaccination group.

Only pregnant women and those living with people with immune system problems, such as people with HIV or those receiving chemotherapy treatment, will be getting the swine flu jab without also receiving the seasonal flu one.

The government hopes to be able to combine vaccinations for people who need both.

How will the swine flu vaccine be administered?

The government is still in negotiation with GPs about how the programme will be delivered.

But the vaccine requires people to be given two doses, three weeks apart.

That would mean the first phase of the programme will take until at least early December to complete.

Will everyone be vaccinated?

It is not clear. The government said it will make a decision on this during the winter.

It will eventually have enough vaccine for the whole population, but in most cases it has remained a relatively mild infection.

However, Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has warned that it could still become more deadly and while the death toll remains low, a fifth of cases have involved previously healthy people

Deal 'close' over swine flu jabs

2009-08-31T00:11:00.000-07:00

Doctors' leaders say they are hopeful that an agreement can soon be reached in negotiations with government over the swine flu vaccination programme.

Ministers unveiled plans on Thursday to vaccinate over 13 million people in the first wave of the UK programme.

But officials were forced to admit GPs had still not signed up to the deal.

The British Medical Association has asked for extra funds to administer the two-shot jab, which some campaigners have dubbed ludicrous.

The government had hoped to have the GPs on board by the time it announced its plan this week.
But negotiations have taken longer than expected. Doctors are paid £7.51 for each seasonal flu vaccine and other jabs, such as travel inoculations.

They are not expecting that amount for what may turn out to be a mass vaccination programme, but have argued in talks that they need extra money to cover staffing and administration costs and the overtime they may need to do.

They have also asked for their bonus payments to be protected if work such as blood pressure checks is affected.

Under the programme put forward, people with health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, pregnant women, those with weakened immune systems and frontline health and social care workers will be the first to receive the jab.

This amounts to more than 13 million - about a fifth of the UK population.

It has not been decided whether the rest of the population will then be immunised, although the government has ordered enough vaccine to do so.

There is still time to broker a deal as the vaccination programme will not be started until regulators have approved the vaccine. This is not likely to happen until the end of September at the earliest.

'Ludicrous'
Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the British Medical Association's GPs committee, said: "Talks with the government remain ongoing and we are hopeful that these discussions will conclude shortly.

"Currently, the health service is working well in response to this enormous challenge and all doctors will continue to work hard on behalf of all their patients."

But Susie Squire, political director at the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "It is the job of GPs to provide frontline healthcare - and they are well paid by taxpayers for this service.

"To pay them extra to administer swine-flu injections is ludicrous. As doctors they should understand that public health is unpredictable and sometimes there are epidemics or accidents that have to be dealt with, and this can mean unpaid overtime."

A Department of Health spokesman said: "We are now working with BMA and NHS organisations to reach a comprehensive swine flu vaccine implementation plan for this first stage of the programme."

Aishwarya denies swine flu rumour

2009-08-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

During a press conference held in Hyderabad on Saturday after the launch of Swiss watchmaker Longines' new collection Conquest Ceramic sports watches at a store in Nagarjuna Hills, India's much-celebrated actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has denied all the rumours that she was down with flu for four days. The former Miss World said: My father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan had mentioned on his blog that I was down with flu but many misunderstood it to be swine flu. I am healthy and back to my work. Replying to a question about endorsing international brands, the actress said she was lucky to work with ace film directors, technicians and photographers and gave the credit to them and her family for all the name and fame she has acquired. On her plans to host television shows in the footsteps of superstar Amitabh Bachchan, she said, Many production companies did approach me but my schedule is too full and I had to decline their offers.

Swine flu could kill as many as 30,000 to 90,000 people in US

2009-08-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

Washington, August 25 (ANI): In a recently released report, the Obama administration's advisory group on Science and Technology has said that the H1N1 flu virus, dubbed 'Swine flu', could cause as many as 30,000 and 90,000 deaths in the United States and pose a serious health threat.

According to Fox News, deaths would be concentrated among children and young adults, determined the report.

In contrast, the typical seasonal flu kills between 30,000 and 40,000 annually - mainly among people over 65.

The report predicts 1.8 million will be hospitalized during the epidemic, with up to 300,000 patients requiring intensive care units.

These patients could occupy 50-100 percent of all ICU beds in affected regions at the peak of the epidemic and would place "enormous stress" on ICU units.

More needs to be done to speed up the "preparation of flu vaccine for distribution to high-risk individuals," otherwise the vaccine campaign - currently scheduled to begin in mid October - will have potentially missed the peak of the epidemic, according to the report.

The report from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, PCAST, shows a sober assessment of the dangers of a pandemic, but also serves as a pat on the back for a White House preparing for its first public health crisis.

"Based on the history of influenza pandemics over the past hundred years, PCAST places the current outbreak somewhere between the two extremes that have informed public opinion about influenza," stated the report.

"On the one hand, the 2009-H1N1 virus does not thus far seem to show the virulence associated with the devastating pandemic of 1918-19. On the other hand, the 2009-H1N1 virus is a serious threat to our nation and the world," it added.

This is due to the likelihood that more people will be infected because so few people have immunity to the strain.

As a result, PCAST recommends that the Food and Drug Administration "accelerate a decision about the availability of antiviral drugs for intravenous use."

The current expectation is that the vaccine will be available in mid-October.

According to Harold Varmus, PCAST co-chair and President of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, despite the long 'to-do' list, the Obama administration has thus far done a good job of preparing for a national outbreak.

"The Federal Government's response has been truly impressive and we've all been pleased to see the high level of cooperation among the many departments and agencies that are gearing up for the expected fall resurgence of H1N1 flu," he said.

Swin Flu Facts Know it now

2009-08-19T04:04:00.000-07:00

HOW DO MASK HELP ?

Who is at risk?
Pregnant women, especially those in the third trimester, are at an increased risk of serious complications from the H1N1 A influenza virus, says a new report.

With the H1N1 flu outbreak now elevated to pandemic level, the article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) has reported that oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are relatively safe drugs for use in pregnant and breast-feeding women.

For treatment or prevention during the current pandemic, "oseltamivir appears to be the drug of choice because there are more data on its safety in pregnancy," writes Dr Shinya Ito, Head of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at SickKids.

Zanamivir can be used, although there is less data available about its safety in pregnant women, the expert added.

Neither drug appears to affect the growth and development of the foetus, although ongoing data collection is important. The groups at high risk of flu-related complications from the novel H1N1 influenza are the same as those for seasonal flu – pregnant women, children under 5 years, the elderly and others such as those with chronic lung conditions.

Only small amounts of oseltamivir and zanamivir are excreted into human milk. If an infant is breastfed by the mother on these drugs and needs treatment, the recommended dose of oseltamivir or zanamivir should be given to the infant.

Is there a vaccine? A new research has suggested that targeting children for vaccination could help control the spread of pandemics such as the current swine flu.

The study suggests that targeting kids is the best way of using limited supplies of the vaccine currently being developed.

Ever since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic global H1N1 swine flu, countries are looking at ways to control the spread of the disease.

These measures include the use of antiviral treatments, such as oseltamivir, social distancing (for example, closing schools and stopping public transport) and quarantining infected individuals.

Pharmaceutical companies have also stepped up production of vaccines effective against this particular strain of the virus.

However, if the spread of the disease increases significantly in the autumn, as some scientists predict, it is unlikely that supplies of the new vaccine will be sufficient to vaccinate entire populations.

Dr Thomas House and Professor Matt Keeling from the University of Warwick have used computer modelling to predict the spread of pandemic influenza and to look at ways of controlling it effectively, particularly where supplies of vaccine are not sufficient for universal coverage.

The researchers showed that the disease is likely to spread fastest in densely populated conurbations, suggesting that these should be priority areas for tackling the spread.

However, they showed that vaccinating entire households at random was an inefficient use of resources; instead, vaccinating key individuals offered sufficient protection to others in their household.

Although a simplification of the complex reality of pandemic flu transmission, the researchers believe their model provides a robust argument for vaccinating children. Our models suggest that the larger the household - which in most cases means the more children living at home - the more likely the infection is to spread," said Keeling.

"This doesn`t mean that everyone in the household needs to be vaccinated, but suggests that vaccination programmes for children might help control a potential pandemic," Keeling added.

The researchers argue that targeting children for vaccination would not only help protect those at greatest risk of exposure to the virus, but would also offer protection to unvaccinated adults.

This so-called "herd immunity" effect would mean that significantly less vaccine would be necessary to help control the spread of the virus than if it were offered to everyone.\\

Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG has said that it has successfully produced a first batch of swine flu vaccine weeks ahead of expectations.

The vaccine was made in cells, rather than grown in eggs as is usually the case with vaccines, the company said.

The announcement comes a day after the World Health Organization declared swine flu, also known as A(H1N1), a pandemic. The move indicates that a global outbreak is under way. WHO says drugmakers will likely have vaccines approved and ready for sale after September.

Novartis said it would use the first batch of vaccine for pre-clinical evaluation and testing. It is also being considered for clinical trials, the company said.

The vaccine was produced at a Novartis plant in Marburg, Germany. Novartis said the facility could potentially produce millions of doses of vaccine a week.

A second plant is being built in Holly Springs, North Carolina, the company said.

Novartis said more than 30 governments have requested vaccine supplies, including the US Department of Health and Human Service, which placed a USD 289 million order in May.

Save yourself: Fight the spread

The World Health Organization issued the following guidelines on Saturday about ways to prevent and fight flu, especially in poor areas where medical facilities may lack staff, beds and drugs:

Social Distancing

-- "Social distancing, respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene, and household ventilation, are at present the most feasible measures available to reduce or delay disease (morbidity) caused by pandemic influenza."

-- This includes keeping at least an arm`s length distance from other people, minimizing public gatherings, and covering coughs and sneezes.

-- Once pandemic flu becomes widespread in a community, however, the WHO said that "interventions to isolate patients and quarantine contacts would probably be ineffective, not a good use of limited health resources, and socially disruptive."

"Routine mask use in public places should be permitted but is not expected to have an impact on disease prevention."

Mild Cases Treated At Home

-- "During a pandemic, very high numbers of patients presenting to the health-care facility will necessitate home treatment," the WHO said.

-- "In the case of mild illness, patients should be provided with supportive care at home by a designated caregiver and only referred to health care facilities if they deteriorate or develop danger signs."

-- Such danger signs may include: weakness or inability to stand, lethargy, unconsciousness, convulsions, very difficult or obstructed breathing or shortness of breath, inability to drink fluids, high fever.

-- Treatment at home should entail rest, fluids, medication for fever, and good nutrition, with patients kept separate from other people except one designated carer who should wash their hands and household surfaces frequently.

-- It is more important in the home that the patient wears a mask than the caregiver. The mask need not be worn all day and only when close contact with the caregiver is anticipated.

-- If enough masks are available, caregivers should also use them to cover their mouth and nose during close contact.

-- Windows should be kept open to allow good ventilation.

In Health Clinics

-- Medical facilities with limited resources and beds should aggressively triage patients and ensure those with respiratory symptoms are kept separately from other patients.

-- Essential medical services should be continued, while elective medical services should be temporarily suspended.

-- Admission criteria may change depending on bed availability, but should be reserved for severe cases most likely to benefit from treatment.

-- "Health facilities should anticipate a very high demand for treatment," the WHO said. "Based on current estimates, agencies should anticipate that up to 10 percent of those who fall ill may require inpatient treatment."

-- The WHO recommends this order of priority for antiviral drugs: a) treatment of sick health-care and other essential staff, b) treatment of sick individuals from the community, c) post-exposure treatment for essential staff at high risk, d) pre-exposure prophylaxis for critical staff with anticipated high-risk exposure.

Interesting Details

The World Health Organization has confirmed at least some of the cases are a never-before-seen strain of influenza A virus, carrying the designation H1N1.

* Although it`s called swine flu, this new strain is not infecting pigs and has never been seen in pigs. The threat is person to person transmission.

* It is genetically different from the fully human H1N1 seasonal influenza virus that has been circulating globally for the past few years. The new flu virus contains DNA typical to avian, swine and human viruses, including elements from European and Asian swine viruses.

* The World Health Organization is concerned but says it is too soon to change the threat level warning for a pandemic-- a global epidemic of a new and dangerous flu.

* When a new strain of flu starts infecting people, and when it acquires the ability to pass from person to person, it can spark a pandemic. The last pandemic was in 1968 and killed about a million people.

* Seven people in the United States have been diagnosed with the new strain. All have recovered, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects more cases.

* Flu viruses mutate constantly, which is why the flu vaccine is changed every year, and they can swap DNA in a process called reassortment. Most animals can get flu, but viruses rarely pass from one species to another.

* From December 2005 through February 2009, 12 cases of human infection with swine influenza were confirmed. All but one person had contact with pigs. There was no evidence of human-to-human transmission in those cases.

* Symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to those of seasonal influenza -- sudden onset of fever, coughing, muscle aches and extreme tiredness. Swine flu appears to cause more diarrhea and vomiting than normal flu.

* Seasonal flu kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people globally in an average year.

In 1976 a new strain of swine flu started infecting people and worried U.S. health officials started widespread vaccination. More than 40 million people were vaccinated. But several cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a severe and sometime fatal condition that can be linked to some vaccines, caused the U.S. government to stop the program. The incident led to widespread distrust of vaccines in general.

Impact on drug Industry
For hard-pressed drug makers, more used to attacks than applause, the H1N1 flu crisis is a chance to earn political capital by delivering billions of doses of vaccine across the planet.

Recent investment has put companies in far better shape to meet the challenge compared to five years ago, when a single factory closure in northwest England left the world worryingly short of seasonal flu shots.

This time around big flu vaccine makers like Sanofi-Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis look set to book extra sales, although constraints on both capacity and pricing will cap the financial upside.

Until now, the main investor focus has been on stockpiling of antiviral drugs to fight the new strain of H1N1 flu, with Roche and Glaxo -- makers of Tamiflu and Relenza respectively -- the two obvious winners.

But that could be about to change as World Health Organization experts meet on May 14 to consider a switch from seasonal to pandemic vaccine production, with companies under intense pressure to show they are good citizens.

Making a vaccine for the new strain, widely known as swine flu, will mean stopping most production of seasonal shots. But because some companies are now well advanced in making next season`s regular vaccine, there is some room to meet both needs.

Companies are not divulging their production schedules but officials at two manufacturers said they were hopeful they would be finished with much of the production needed for the next northern hemisphere flu season by the time of any switch.

Although the H1N1 flu strain seems mild at present, health officials are worried it might return in a more virulent form in the northern hemisphere winter.

Dealing with such an uncertain threat involves a careful balance by health authorities and companies, since making a new vaccine will take four to six months.

The WHO estimates manufacturers have the capacity to make up to 900 million shots annually against seasonal flu, which kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people a year.

Kieny estimates that translates into pandemic capacity of at least 1-2 billion doses, because a simple pandemic vaccine contains only one ingredient, while the seasonal one has three.

Even so, there will not be enough vaccine for the world`s population of more than 6.5 billion.

Real SWIN FLU Guide for India in Emergency get it handy

2009-08-10T03:59:00.000-07:00

Hi all watchers from Swin Flu infected area in India if required please let us know . How we can help you more .

What are the symptoms?

Swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include fever of over 100.4°F, fatigue, lack of appetite, and cold. Some people with swine flu have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Nearly everyone with flu has at least two of these symptoms.

So, how do you know if you have flu or just cold?
There is one clue: when you have the flu, you feel flu symptoms sooner than you would cold symptoms, and they come on with much greater intensity. With the flu, you may feel very weak and fatigued for up to 2 or 3 weeks. You'll have muscle aches and periods of chills and sweats as fever comes and goes. You may also have a stuffy or runny nose, headache, and sore throat.

Can I compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms?
Yes. The following chart can help you compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms. Use it to lean the differences and similarities between flu and cold symptoms. Then, if you get flu symptoms, call your doctor and ask about an antiviral drug.

Symptoms : a)Fever,b) Headache ,c)General Aches ,Pains, d)Fatigue,Weakness, e) Extreme Exhaustion, f) Stuffy Nose , g) Chest discomfort ,Cough

Cold : a) Rare, b) Rare, c) Slight , d) Quite mild, e) Never, f) Common ,g) Mild to moderate ,hacking cough

Flu : a) Characteristic, high 100-102 degrees F); lasts 3-4 days, b) Prominent, c) Usual; often severe,d) Can last up to 2-3 weeks, e) Early and prominent, f) Sometimes, g) Common; can become severe

You cannot confirm if you have swine flu just based on your symptoms. Like seasonal flu, pandemic swine flu can cause neurologic symptoms in children. These events are rare, but, as cases associated with seasonal flu have shown, they can be very severe and often fatal.

Doctors may offer a rapid flu test, but what you need to understand is a negative result doesn't necessarily mean you don't have the flu. Only lab tests can definitively show whether you've got swine flu. State health departments can do these tests.

What should you do immediately?

Those of you who have travelled from the affected countries in the past ten days and show symptoms swine flu like fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty in breathing should immediately contact the telephone number given below or visit the nearby Government Hospital.

Important contact numbers:
Outbreak Monitoring Cell (Control Room, NICD): 011-23921401

Websites: www.mohfw.nic.in and www.nicd.nic.in
You can also contact a toll free number 2392 1401 at the National Institute of Communicable Disease

Contact number for each cities:
Bangalore
BIAL Swine Flu Center - 91-80-22001490

SDS TUBERCULOSIS & RAJIV GANDHI INSTITUTE OF CHEST DISEASES(Govt. of Karnataka), Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560029
Helpline No: 91-80-26631923

Chennai
Communicable Disease Hospital, 87, T.H. Road, Tondiarpet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Hyderabad
Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital, Erragadda , Hyderabad
Hospital Helpline Number - 040-23814939

Kolkata
Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital, 57, Beliaghata Main Road, Kolkata

Mumbai
Kasturba Hospital, Arthur Road, Sane Guruji Marg, Mumbai 400011
Ph: 022- 23083901 / 23092458 / 23000889

New Delhi
Yellow Fever Quarantine Centre, Near AAI Residential Colony, New Delhi
Ph: 91-11-25652129

Influenza Ward, Ward no 5, Second Floor, New Building, RML Hospital, Delhi-1
RML- 91-11-24525211,23404328,23365525- Ext 4328

What is the treatment?

Antiviral drugs can be used to treat swine flu or to prevent infection with swine flu viruses. The anti-viral medicines oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are being used to treat people with swine flu. Antiviral drugs work by preventing the flu virus from reproducing. To be effective you need to take them within 48 hours of the symptoms beginning. These flu drugs can decrease the duration of the flu by 1 to 2 days if used within this early time period. These antivirals are usually given for a period of about 5-7 days. It's unclear whether these drugs can prevent complications of the flu. Tamiflu is approved for prevention and treatment in people 1 year old and older. Relenza is approved for treatment of people 7 years old and older and for prevention in people 5 years old and older. These medications must be prescribed by a health care professional.

Side effects: Side effects of antiviral drugs may include nervousness, poor concentration, nausea, and vomiting. Relenza is not recommended for people with a history of breathing problems, such as asthma, because it may cause a worsening of breathing problems. Discuss side effects with your doctor.

Self medication: Antibiotics are a no-no. Chances are that antibiotics will not help your flu symptoms. That's because flu, colds, and most sore throats and bronchitis are caused by viruses. In addition, taking antibiotics when you have a virus may do more harm than good. Taking antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics only cure certain infections due to bacteria -- and if taken carelessly, you may get more serious health problems than you bargained for.

Is there a vaccine to treat swine flu virus? No, there isn’t a vaccine yet. But vaccines are being made in large quantities. Clinical tests will begin in August 2009. Depending on how long federal officials wait for the results of these tests, tens of millions of doses of swine flu vaccine could be ready as soon as September 2009, with more vaccine becoming available each month thereafter. The first doses of vaccine likely will go to pregnant women and young children ages 6 months to 4 years, with older school kids to follow.

Who is at risk?

Those who are more at risk from becoming seriously ill with swine flu are people with:

chronic (long-term) lung disease, including people who have had drug treatment for their asthma within the past three years,
chronic heart disease,
chronic kidney disease,
chronic liver disease,
chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis),
suppressed immune systems (whether caused by disease or treatment),
diabetes,
pregnant women,
people aged 65 or older, and
young children under five.

How does it spread?

The new swine flu virus is highly contagious, that is it spreads from person to person. The virus is spread through the droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when someone coughs or sneezes. If someone coughs or sneezes and they do not cover it, those droplets can spread about one metre (3ft). If you are very nearby you might breathe them in.

Or, if someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those droplets and the virus within them are easily transferred to surfaces that the person touches, such as door handles, hand rails, telephones and keyboards. If you touch these surfaces and touch your face, the virus can enter your system, and you can become infected.

Can it be prevented?

Influenza antiviral drugs also can be used to prevent influenza when they are given to a person who is not ill, but who has been or may be near a person with swine influenza. When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. When used for prevention, the number of days that they should be used will vary depending on a person’s particular situation.

Follow this general procedure to reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus, you should:

Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue
Throw the tissue away quickly and carefully
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
Clean hard surfaces (like door handles and remote controls) frequently with a normal cleaning product
Keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick. Do not go to work or school while ill
Stay home for at least 24 hours after fever is gone, except to seek medical care or for other necessities. (Fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
Drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
Wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – when sharing common spaces with other household members to help prevent spreading the virus to others.

Will it help to wear a mask?

Information on the effectiveness of facemasks and respirators for decreasing the risk of influenza infection in community settings is extremely limited. So, it is difficult to assess their potential effectiveness in decreasing the risk of Swine Flu virus transmission in these settings. However, a well-fitted, FDA-approved mask together with other preventive measures MAY reduce the risk of contracting the flu. Those who are sick or caring for someone who is ill should consider using a mask or respirator if leaving the house becomes necessary.

What precautions should one take at home?

Two things - soap and water can reduce the chance of infection by 30 per cent. All you need to do is keep washing your hand with soap and water frequently. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand cleaner when soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth

Eat healthy: Proteins are essential to help your body maintain and build strength. Lean meat, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy, eggs, and nuts and seeds are good sources of protein.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults eat 50 grams of protein per day. Pregnant and nursing women need more. By eating foods high in protein, we also get the benefit of other healing nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, both of which contribute to a healthy immune system.

Vitamin B6 is widely available in foods, including protein foods such as turkey and beans as well as potatoes, spinach, and enriched cereal grains. Proteins such as meats, milk, and fish also contain vitamin B12, a powerful immune booster.

Minerals such as selenium and zinc work to keep the immune system strong. These minerals are found in protein rich foods such as beans, nuts, meat, and poultry.

Exercise: Regular exercise may help prevent the flu. According to recent findings, when moderate exercise is repeated on a near daily basis, there is a cumulative immune-enhancing effect. That is, your strong immune system can fight flu better. When you exercise, your white blood cells -- the blood cells that fight infections in the body -- travel through your body more quickly, fighting bacteria and viruses (such as flu) more efficiently. To maintain good health, experts recommend at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity such as walking, swimming, biking, or running each day.
What precautions should one take at schools?

Avoid close contact with people who are sick
People who are sick with an influenza-like illness should stay home and keep away from others as much as possible, including avoiding travel, for at least 24 hours after fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
Wash your hands often
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

Is it safe to travel?

Avoid travelling unnecessarily. However, if you must travel, check how the country you're going to handles swine flu. Although, the WHO doesn't recommend travel restrictions, many countries have set up their own H1N1 policies, and some travellers have been screened or quarantined in other countries because of swine flu concerns.

Swine flu deaths mount to six India

2009-08-10T00:07:00.000-07:00

The number of people to die of swine flu in India has risen to six with the death of a number of patients over the weekend, health officials say.

Six patients are reported to be in a serious condition in the western city of Pune, which has recorded more cases than anywhere else in India.

A number of schools in the country have been shut temporarily over fears of children contracting the disease.

Officials say there are more than 800 cases of the H1N1 flu strain in India.

The virus is thought to have killed almost 800 people around the world.

A 53-year-old doctor of indigenous medicine and a four-year-old boy died in hospitals in western Pune and southern Chennai cities early on Monday, taking the number of deaths caused by swine flu to six.

Over the weekend, three people died of the flu in western India - a 43-year-old businessman who was visiting Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state; a 42-year-old teacher in Pune city; and a 53-year-old woman in Mumbai city.

Last Monday, a 14-year-old girl became the first person in the country to die of swine flu.

Rising concerns

Health officials say that the country had enough stocks of the anti-flu drug Tamiflu.

However, panic is growing among the people with swine flu deaths making it to the front pages of newspapers and main TV news.

Several schools in western Indian and the capital, Delhi, have closed temporarily as fears grow about children contracting the flu.

In Delhi, where some 228 cases have been confirmed, health officials say that the people are panicking "because the symptoms of swine flu and common influenza are similar".

As the number of flu deaths rise in the country, health officials have asked people not to panic.

Indian PM Manmohan Singh has asked the health ministry to step up preparedness against the disease and coordinate with state governments to spread the disease.

"All state governments have been asked to set up their own swine flu helplines, create more quarantine wards not only in their hospitals but also in the big private hospitals," federal Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

The BBC's Soutik Biswas in Delhi says though the number of swine flu deaths in India was still low, there are concerns over the ability of the badly-run and under equipped government hospitals to handle the rising tide of patients.

Also, the 12 swine flu testing centres in India will not be sufficient if the number of cases rise sharply, our correspondent says.

"We need to work out a public-private partnership between the hospitals to tackle the flu. We need to take the people, doctors and media into confidence so panic does not spread," federal Junior Health Minister Dinesh Trivedi told the BBC.

Last week, the World Health Organization announced that the first swine flu vaccines are likely to be licensed for use in the general population in September.

The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has since spread to 74 countries.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pune/Chennai, Aug 10 (PTI) A 35-year-old ayurvedic doctor and a four-year-old boy died of swine flu in Pune and Chennai today, taking the toll due to the dreaded viral infection in the country to six. The medic, Babasahib Mane, died in the Sassoon Hospital in Pune this morning, becoming the third person in the worst-hit Maharashtra city to succumb to swine flu, a senior health official said.

Mane was ailing for sometime and blood had been found in his sputum in the last couple of days, he said. In Chennai, a four-year-old boy, who was admitted to a private hospital with kidney and liver-related complications and had tested positive for swine flu, died this morning, health officials said.

The boy had also been suffering from asthma. This is the first case of flu death in the city.

"The boy was in a very critical condition. He had been suffering from asthma and he had been taken from one hospital to another for various complications.

Ultimately he landed up in this hospital for a kidney-related problem.

and they found the boy testing positive (for swine flu)," Tamil Nadu Health Secretary V K Subburaj said.

The boy, who was on a ventilator, died following "multi- organ failure," S Ilango, Director of Public Health, said. With the two deaths today, the swine flu toll in the country has climbed to six.

Precautions to keep swine flu

2009-08-06T00:03:00.000-07:00

Here are ten tips for you to keep away from the pandemic.

1. Wash your hands frequently

Use the antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, at least 15 seconds and rinse with running water.

2. Get enough sleep

Try to get 8 hours of good sleep every night to keep your immune system in top flu-fighting shape.

3. Drink sufficient water

Drink 8 to10 glasses of water each day to flush toxins from your system and maintain good moisture and mucous production in your sinuses.

4. Boost your immune system

Keeping your body strong, nourished, and ready to fight infection is important in flu prevention. So stick with whole grains, colorful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits.

5. Keep informed

The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the pandemic and periodically release guidelines to keep the pandemic away. Please make sure to keep up to date on the information and act in a calm manner.

6. Avoid alcohol

Apart from being a mood depressant, alcohol is an immune suppressant that can actually decrease your resistance to viral infections like swine flu. So stay away from alcoholic drinks so that your immune system may be strong.

7. Be physically active

Moderate exercise can support the immune system by increasing circulation and oxygenating the body. For example brisk walking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week will significantly perk up your immunity.

8. Keep away from sick people

Flu virus spreads when particles dispersed into the air through a cough or sneeze reach someone else's nose. So if you have to be around someone who is sick, try to stay a few feet away from them and especially, avoid physical contact.

9. Know when to get help

Consult your doctor if you have a cough and fever and follow their instructions, including taking medicine as prescribed.

10. Avoid crowded areas

Try to avoid unnecessary trips outside.

British child gets Swin flu in Greece

2009-08-04T08:06:00.000-07:00

UK, July 30, 2009, (Pal Telegraph) - The 16-year-old is on a life-support machine after suffering lung damage and complications believed to be linked to swine flu, according to the Daily Express.

The teenager, known as Sasha, had been island hopping with her family but was admitted to hospital on the island of Cephalonia.

She was flown to the country's main children's hospital in Athens on Tuesday after her condition deteriorated and she became unconscious.

Her parents, businessman Julian Newman and theatrical agent Nikki Boughton, are at her bedside. Mr Newman said: "Natasha is very bad. She has chronic respiratory failure. She has complications like pneumonia."

Doctors at the Ayia Sofia children's hospital have described the teenager's condition as "very grave".

Dr Lina Sianidou, head of the intensive care unit, said: "There is no doubt that she is suffering from swine flu. She is in a critical condition and very much struggling.

"It is clear she had this new virus for at least eight days before she sought help and that has made her condition worse."

Another hospital doctor, who asked not to be named, said: "Her condition is very grave. She was in a very bad state, running a very high temperature when she got here. She developed acute breathing problems and eventually lost consciousness in Cephalonia."

The family left their £1 million house in Highgate, north London, three weeks ago for a month's holiday. Mr Newman owns north London company J Newman Textiles Ltd.

Natasha is a pupil at prestigious public school Gordonstoun in Elgin, Scotland, where Prince Charles attended. She has recently completed her GCSE exams and is a keen musician.

Medical authorities said they were not aware she has underlying health problems. Natasha is one of three swine flu victims in intensive care in Greece, authorities revealed.

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First Swine Flu death in India

2009-08-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

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Uploaded by gloubi77. - News videos from around the world.

Pune, August 03 2009: India recorded its first Swine flu death today in Pune.

A young girl named Riya Shiekh died at a private hospital in Pune on Monday, 3rd August.

She was on a ventilator in an ICU for a number of days, reports swin-flu.india.org.

Pune has recorded the most number of cases of Swine flu in India.

India now has over 551 confirmed cases flu out of which 422 have been cured and discharged.

However there have been a number of cases where the virus has reappeared in patients.

Statistics have revealed that children below the age of 15 are more susceptible to the virus.

Q&A: Advice about swine flu fro BBC

2009-07-20T02:57:00.000-07:00

Swine flu has spread across the world since emerging in Mexico and is now officially the first flu pandemic for 40 years. Experts fear millions of people will be infected.

What is swine flu and what are the symptoms?

Symptoms:
1. High temperature, tiredness and lowered immunity
2. Headache, runny nose and sneezing
3. Sore throat
4. Shortness of breath
5. Loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea
6. Aching muscles, limb and joint pain

Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1.

H1N1 is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis.

But this latest version of H1N1 is different: it contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds and swine.

Although the strain may have originated in pigs, it is now a wholly human disease.

It can be spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing.

Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu.

A fever - which is a temperature of 38ºC (100.4ºF) - is the key symptom, combined with other complaints which may include a cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and aching limbs. Some people with the virus have also reported nausea and diarrhoea.

As with normal flu, the severity of symptoms will depend on treatment and the individual. Many people have only suffered mildly and have begun to recover within a week.

People are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms, but they cease to be a risk once those symptoms have disappeared. The incubation period may be as little as two days.

Apparently healthy people are dying from the virus. Does that means it is getting worse?

Experts say this does not change anything, and that if anything it is surprising that it has taken this long in the UK for someone without underlying health problems to die.
Apparently healthy people can die of any flu-related virus if it causes complications such as pneumonia so these latest deaths do not give any extra cause for concern.

Indeed, so far, many people who have developed symptoms of infection have not needed drugs to make a full recovery, according to the WHO.

Flu expert Professor Peter Openshaw, of Imperial College London, says about one in every three people who become infected will not realise they have had swine flu because they will have had no or only very few symptoms.

"About 98% of people who get infected will recover fully without any hospital treatment so I think the public needs to be reassured."

The real fear is that the strain will mutate and become more virulent which would pose a greater threat. This has been the feature of previous flu pandemics.

But this has not yet happened - and in any event it is worth remembering that seasonal flu often poses a serious threat to public health - each year it kills 250,000 - 500,000 around the world.

What should I do if I think I have it?

Anyone with flu-like symptoms who suspects they might have the swine flu virus are being advised to stay at home and use the "swine flu symptom checker" on the NHS Direct website, or phone NHS Direct - NHS 24 in Scotland.

If swine flu is suspected, your GP should be contacted - and he or she will issue a voucher for anti-flu drugs.

The infected person would then be expected to arrange for a friend or family member to pick up the anti-viral treatment for them from a collection point, most probably a pharmacy.

In the initial phase of the outbreak, lab testing was done to diagnose the flu but this is no longer happening routinely.

How is it treated?

Two drugs commonly used to treat flu, Tamiflu and Relenza, are effective at treating infection.

However, the drugs must be administered at an early stage to be effective.

Use of these drugs may also make it less likely that infected people will pass the virus on to others.

The UK government already has a stockpile of Tamiflu, ordered as a precaution against a pandemic.

However, there is concern that if too many people start taking anti-virals as a precaution, it could raise the risk of the virus developing resistance, reducing the drugs' effectiveness. There is however no evidence at present that this is happening.

In any event there is little point taking these drugs as a precaution as each tablet only provides a day's worth of cover. Given that the virus may be with us for many months - or indeed years - taking a regular pill is ill-advised as the long-term side effects are not known.

What measures then can I take to prevent infection?

As yet there is no vaccine, but manufacturers are trying to develop one. Good progress is being made and the first doses may be available in the UK by August. However the NHS says it may be next year before everyone can be immunised.

Older people and those under 16 - as well as health workers and those with existing clinical conditions - will be given priority.

It is hoped that even if the virus mutates in coming months, the vaccine would still confer a high degree of protection against related strains.

In the meantime, avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and who have fever and cough.

General infection control practices and good hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including the human swine influenza.

This includes covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible and disposing of it promptly.

It is also important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people, and cleaning hard surfaces like door handles frequently using a normal cleaning product.

In Mexico masks have been handed out to the general public, but experts are sceptical about how useful this is.

Some suggest it may even be counterproductive.

What is the advice for pregnant women?

The Department of Health has clarified its advice on how expectant mothers should protect themselves following a series of apparently mixed messages.

Concerns were heightened after a woman with swine flu died last week shortly after giving birth prematurely.

Pregnant women are among the groups at increased risk from swine flu. It is important that they follow the advice about hand hygiene.

They may also want to avoid very crowded places and unnecessary travel, but experts stressed people should use their own judgement and should carry on with their daily lives.

Where can I get further advice?

Further information and advice on swine flu can be found at websites of leading health and research organisations around the world. The World Health Organisation gives background information on the virus.

The UK's government services website is carrying regularly updated health and travel information. The Health Protection Agency advises the public about what to do if returning from an affected area. NHS Choices outlines how swine flu is different from other flu.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is another good source of information.

The US government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is counting the number of cases in the US.

You can also track spread of swine flu reports using unofficial sources. Google is mapping search term data as an indicator of flu activity both across the US down to state level and in Mexico. Healthmaps maps viruses using news reports. Social media guide Mashable lists a range of ways to track the virus .

Information and links to useful websites are being shared on Twitter, the micro-blogging service, while social networking website Facebook is tracking swine flu discussion amongst users.

For more information read this article

Pregnant women and young children most at risk as swine flu cases hit 100,000

2009-07-20T02:53:00.000-07:00

Under-fives and pregnant women are emerging as key swine flu risk groups, according to hospital figures and the age profiles of those who have already died.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) altered its advice this week to include the youngest age range – the under-fives – in the category of those "predominantly affected" while the Royal College of Midwives gave fresh advice todayon giving expectant women anti-viral drugs.

The shift in emphasis by health officials is a reminder that even if the final death rates from the pandemic are the same as normal seasonal flu, the social impact will be significantly different, with the disease apparently targeting the young more than elderly people. In normal seasonal flu it is the elderly who usually succumb through developing pneumonia.

Altogether, 29 people have died from swine flu in the UK. A patient from Swindon and a female tourist who died in Scotland after being admitted to hospital three weeks ago are among recent deaths. Figures from the West Midlands show that at one stage this month 23 of the 79 patients receiving treatment in hospital for swine flu were less than five years old.

On Thursday the chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, produced statistics showing that under-fives were three times more likely to need inpatient care than those in other age groups.

At least five of those who died are known to have been young children or babies. The NHS in London today confirmed that a baby less than six months old was among the fatalities. Some, like nine-year-old Asmaa Hussain, from Dewsbury, who suffered from epilepsy, had other prior conditions.

The Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists issued joint advice on prescribing anti-virals, suggesting that pregnant women with flu symptoms be given a course of Relenza, using an inhaler.

"It is recommended for pregnant women because it easily reaches the throat and lungs, where it is needed, and does not reach significant levels in the blood or placenta," the advice said. "This has the theoretical advantage of not affecting the pregnancy or the growing baby." It added: "A few cases of severe illnesses among pregnant women and infants have been reported in the UK and from other countries. These have mostly affected women with pre-existing health problems. In previous pandemics, and in reports from some countries in this pandemic, there is evidence that pregnancy can increase the risk for influenza complications for the mother and the foetus."

As many as 100,000 people may now have contracted swine flu in the UK, according to estimates by the Health Protection Agency.

Fears that meningitis could be confused with swine flu were raised today after news that Gemma Drury, 17, of Brimington, Chesterfield, was first diagnosed with swine flu but then rushed to hospital with meningitis days later.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said today that some schools and nurseries might not open as usual at the start of the autumn term.

The Department of Health dismissed fears that the threat of high death rates could endanger the international supply of vaccines. The UK has ordered 132m doses of vaccine, sufficient for all the UK population. The first doses could be ready as early as August.

Italy yesterday advised its citizens to take extra precautions when travelling to Britain. Italy's health ministry said travellers should first visit their doctor to see if they have any conditions that put them at risk, and should avoid crowded places.

Swine flu may keep some schools shut in September

2009-07-20T02:50:00.000-07:00

Some schools in England could remain closed in September if the swine flu pandemic escalates over the summer, the government has admitted.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) said that, while it was expected schools and nurseries would open as usual at the start of the academic year, it could not be "certain what the situation will be" in the autumn.

Decisions on closures would be taken shortly before the start of the autumn term, a message to schools across the country from the department said.

The DCSF guidance, issued as many schools broke up for the summer today, said it was monitoring the spread of the H1N1 virus on a day-by-day basis. A message will be sent to schools in the last week of August telling them what to do at the start of term, it added.

The DCSF said: "As the summer term is drawing to an end, it is important to ensure that everyone will be in a position to know what will happen at the start of the autumn term.

"We expect that schools and early-years and childcare settings will reopen as usual but at this time we cannot be certain what the situation will be then; we will need to monitor developments over the summer, and take decisions based on the best advice available shortly before the start of term."

About 1,000 schools have already recorded cases of swine flu, although most have remained open, according to the DCSF.

The message to schools follows a warning from the government's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, that up to 65,000 people could die from swine flu in the UK in a worst-case scenario.

A planning document published by the Department of Health yesterday suggested that if the current growth in cases was sustained, the number of cases could peak in early September, with up to 30% of the population suffering illness.

There are also suggestions the spread of the virus could begin to slow over July and August before a resurgence in the autumn when schools reopen.

Margaret Morrissey, of the lobby group Parents Outloud, said ministers should have closed schools across the country early for the summer.

"I do think the government has had a major event of mismanagement here. They should have shut down schools and public places, not for ever, but to stop the virus spreading," she said.

In swine flu hotspots, schools should remain closed until children had been vaccinated, Morrissey suggested. "We might have to, in some schools, keep them closed until the vaccine is in place," she said.

The campaigner also called for the government to hand money to employers so that their staff can stay at home with their children if they are affected by swine flu.

"We helped the banks out, how about helping parents?" she said.

"There could be a decision that schools have got to say to parents, 'If your finances can be supported, do you agree with having the school closed until the children are vaccinated?'"

But she added that if it was possible to open schools in September then that should happen.

At the start of the outbreak, affected schools were closed, but the Health Protection Agency is no longer recommending that approach because swine flu is now widespread within communities.

HPA guidance says: "People are likely to be repeatedly exposed to the virus in their everyday lives. Closing a school will no longer be effective in slowing the spread of the virus as people could still be exposed outside the school.

"In some special circumstances – for example, a school with children who are particularly vulnerable to infection – then school closures might still be recommended."

Parents expressed concern yesterday about the now rapid spread of the virus, and some admitted they were scared and unsure how to respond to the situation.

Gloria Newell, 49, a housing officer, who was picking up her nine-year-old daughter, Natasha, from St Mary's Church of England school in Islington, north London, said: "I am just astonished. The figures are quite shocking. There seems to be nothing really in place to cope with this. We have heard about a national vaccination scheme but we do not know when it might be in place."

In north London, another mother, Amal Khaireddine, 30, was concerned about her sons Joseph, five, Shamus, six, and Ryan, eight, all pupils at Hugh Myddelton school in Islington, where there had been several cases of swine flu. "They had sore throats and temperatures and I did what you should do and called the GP. They said … not to worry. But I think they should have been tested, some swabs should have been taken … all you are told is check the NHS website, but that is not 100% safe."

In nearby Culpepper Gardens, Richard O'Connell, 63, said he had taken his two-year-old grandson, Alfie, to the doctor because of a high temperature and had been told not to worry. "But you do worry because you don't know what to do … it's all very well telling people to look at the NHS website but what of those of us who do not have a computer?"

Anne Alexander, 62, a retired playschool worker from Highbury, north London, believed the publicity was causing "mass panic". Collecting her nine-year-old granddaughter, Niamh Stepto, from school, she said: "The reality is that it may only be as serious as normal seasonal flu."

Paola Domizio, a pathologist and mother of year-old twins Aron and Susha, said : "I'm undecided whether to panic or not. Certainly it is alarming that so many young children may be susceptible. But what can you do? Even if you keep them in all day there are no guarantees. If a vaccine is developed I suppose children will be vaccinated, but until then all you can do is follow the guidelines. So I can't say that I'm particularly panicking, although the figures do sound alarming."

Don't panic – even if you do catch swine flu

2009-07-20T02:47:00.001-07:00

In the past few days, swine flu has turned from a topic of relatively light-hearted conversation into a serious anxiety. The figure of 65,000 deaths quoted by Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, has worked its way into the popular imagination. The fact that this is an upper limit tends to be overlooked, as does the even more important detail that it assumes an overall fatality rate of just 0.35 per cent of those infected. Fewer than one in 200 people who catch swine flu will die, according to these projections.

Even so, it is hard not to be worried, following a week in which 55,000 new cases emerged. Swine flu has not become more dangerous, but it is spreading faster than the medical authorities anticipated: since the beginning of July, the number of people consulting GPs with flu-like symptoms has increased from 15 to 40 per 100,000 per day. Hence the urgency of the Government's advice to pregnant women (whose immune systems are naturally suppressed) to avoid unnecessary travel on public transport and to parents to keep their babies away from crowds.
It is becoming clear that swine flu, while not yet more dangerous than ordinary flu, can inflict some nasty symptoms on Britain's society and economy. Holiday plans are being ruined as major airlines and tour operators refuse to transport passengers with suspected flu. This is fair enough – but, annoyingly, it is difficult to claim travel insurance for cancelled holidays because it involves doing just what the Government does not want people to do: visiting the GP. Meanwhile, dozens of British schoolchildren and teachers visiting Beijing were placed in quarantine at the weekend because three children were running high temperatures. And Italy's health ministry has advised its citizens to take extra precautions while visiting this country.

Britain is acquiring a reputation as the swine flu capital of Europe – and the figures explain why. After Mexico and the United States, we have the highest incidence of the disease in the world. Why? Perhaps this was only to be expected, given the unsettling degree to which Britain has become an international crossroads. But we also need to ask whether there should have been tighter screening at airports at the start of the Mexican epidemic.

There were claims yesterday that a clash between Whitehall departments delayed the launch of a swine flu hot line. So far, however, the Government's advice has been sensible and struck the right balance. A challenge lies ahead: to prevent infection and – almost equally important – to prevent unnecessary anxiety. Don't panic, even (or especially) if you are unlucky enough to catch swine flu.

Important information about swine flu

2009-07-13T03:35:00.000-07:00

Swine flu is the common name that has been given to a new strain of influenza. It is called swine flu because it is thought to have originated in pigs, but this is not known for certain.

The most common symptoms are fever, sore throat, diarrhoea, headache, feeling generally unwell and a dry cough – in other words, symptoms very similar to seasonal influenza. Most people recover within a week, even without special treatment.

Pandemic
The virus was first identified in Mexico in April and has since become a pandemic, which means it has spread around the globe. It has spread quickly because it is a new type of influenza virus that few, if any, people have full resistance to.

Flu pandemics are a natural event that occur from time to time. Last century, there were flu pandemics in 1918, 1957 and 1968, when millions of people died across the world.

So far the new virus is known to have infected 77,000 people in over 100 countries around the world. However, this figure is almost certainly a large underestimate because it reflects only those cases which have been confirmed by laboratory tests.

In the majority of cases the virus has proved relatively mild. However, more than 300 people have died globally and its 'risk profile' is still not fully understood. For this reason, and because all viruses can mutate to become more potent, scientists are advising caution.

The situation in the UK
There have been nearly 10,000 cases confirmed in the UK since the outbreak started here on 27 April. Of these, over 100 have involved hospitalisation, and 15 people have died.

The UK formally moved from a 'containment' to a 'treatment' phase for swine flu on 2 July. This meant that intensive efforts to contain swine flu, via automatic school closures, for example, ended in order to free up capacity to treat the increasing numbers of people who are contracting swine flu daily.

As in other countries, the majority of cases reported so far in the UK have been mild. Only a small number have led to serious illness, and these have frequently been where patients have had underlying health problems.

There has been an argument put forward that government should restrict antivirals to those groups who are most at risk of developing serious complications from swine flu. In other words, if people are otherwise healthy, then the NHS should let the virus run its course, treating it with paracetamol and bed rest as you would normal flu.

However, the government's Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) believes that there is still some doubt about the risk profile of the virus. For instance, there are reports of some cases in Argentina where young, healthy adults have apparently become extremely ill from swine flu.

While there is still this doubt, the government has decided to continue offering the antiviral medicines Tamiflu or Relenza to everyone with swine flu at their doctor’s discretion.

High-risk groups
Some people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu, and will need to start taking antivirals as soon as they are confirmed with the illness. On occasion, doctors may advise some high-risk patients to take antivirals before they have symptoms if someone close to them has swine flu.

The risk profile of the virus is still being studied but it is already known that the following people are particularly vulnerable:

people with:
- chronic lung disease,
- chronic heart disease,
- chronic kidney disease,
- chronic liver disease,
- chronic neurological disease,
- immunosuppression (whether caused
by disease or treatment), and
- diabetes mellitus,
patients who have had drug treatment for asthma in the past three years,
pregnant women,
people aged 65 years and older, and
children under five years old.
Swine flu vaccine
A vaccine to protect against swine flu is being developed but it is not available yet.

The first batches of vaccine are expected to arrive in late August, and 30 million double doses – enough for half the population – are expected to be available by the end of the year.

The government has ordered enough vaccine for the whole population and, when it becomes available, will focus on those at the greatest risk first.

Catch it, bin it, kill it
Although the UK has moved to a treatment phase for swine flu, it is important that people continue to do everything they can to stop the virus from spreading.

The key is to practise good respiratory and hand hygiene. In other words, remember to Catch it, Bin It, Kill It. Catch your sneeze in a tissue, place it quickly in a bin and wash your hands and surfaces regularly to kill the virus.

UK moves from swine flu 'containment' to 'treatment'

2009-07-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

The UK has moved from the 'containment' to the 'treatment' phase of swine flu as the number of people catching swine flu continues to rise.

'Containment' to 'treatment'
As Swine Flu spreads and more people start to catch it in their communities, the government has moved from efforts to contain the virus to treating the increasing number of people who have the disease.

The move from containment to treatment will apply in all four nations of the UK- England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This means that:

GPs will be able to diagnose swine flu on the basis of symptoms rather than waiting for laboratory testing

all tracing of people who have been in contact with a sufferer will stop

people who may have been exposed to the virus will not be given anti-viral drugs

anyone who is diagnosed with swine flu will continue to be offered anti-virals until further notice
Local primary care trusts will also begin to establish anti-viral collection points in their local communities. These could be at a designated pharmacy or a community centre, depending on local need.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said:"Most cases of swine flu have not been severe and we are in a strong position to deal with this pandemic.

"But we must not become complacent and, while doubt remains about the way the virus attacks different groups, today's decision on the move to the treatment phase reflects our caution."

Global swine flu cases

2009-06-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

There are now over 70,000 confirmed cases in over 100 countries. The countries with the most cases are:

• United States of America 27,717 (127 deaths)
• Mexico 8,279 (116 deaths)
• Canada 7,775 (21 deaths)
• United Kingdom 6,133 (3 deaths)
• Chile 5,186 (7 deaths)
• Australia 4,038 (7 deaths)
• Argentina 1,488 (21 deaths)
• China 1442
• Japan 1049
• Philippines 861

Exit, first flu victim

2009-06-30T07:56:00.000-07:00

The number of inmates in the isolation ward of the Infectious Diseases Hospital, where swine flu suspects and patients are quarantined, has dropped from seven to two since Sunday.

Seven-year-old Shruti Ghosh, the city’s first swine flu victim, was released from the Beleghata hospital on Monday.

Sourav Lahiri, who got himself admitted on Saturday with fever, tested negative for swine flu and was also released during the day.

“Shruti’s course of Tamiflu is over and she is not having fever anymore. Her parents have been asked to keep her quarantined at home for a few more days,” said Tapas Sen, the nodal officer for tackling swine flu in the state.

Shruti’s mother Sonali, who was staying with the girl in the 20-bed ward that has been divided by a curtain to separate male and female patients, had tested negative for swine flu.

The Oman residents had arrived in Calcutta last Tuesday after holidaying in Australia. Shruti was suffering from cough and fever when she landed at the city airport and was taken straight to the hospital.

The Delhi-based National Institute of Communicable Diseases, where nasal and throat swabs were sent for test, informed the hospital on June 25 that the girl was suffering from swine flu.

The only ones left in the Beleghata isolation ward are four-year-old Suchismita Das, who had tested positive for swine flu on Saturday, and her mother.

“Suchismita’s condition is stable. Her fever has subsided but she is still on medication,” said a source in the hospital.

Suchismita and her parents arrived in Calcutta from Bangkok, where they had gone on a holiday, early on Friday.

Prem Chand Yadav and Suchismita’s father Partha were released on Sunday after their swab tests proved negative.

Lahiri, 26, was the only patient who had voluntarily walked into the hospital and wanted to be tested for swine flu. He had been suffering from fever since returning from Bangkok a week ago.

Flu Pandemic Seminar 9th July LONDON

2009-06-24T23:49:00.000-07:00

Aimed at CEOs, Directors, Senior Managers, Facility Managers, and business consultants.

This seminar is to help enable business and public bodies to plan for a possible flu pandemic. It covers all the essential information relating to affects of a pandemic, how to mitigate its impact and how to develop a pandemic plan.

Seminar Outline

Understand - the affect of a pandemic on the organisation
Businesses need to understand the affect of the pandemic on their business model. Restrictions on travel, restrictions on large gatherings, reduced staff attendence and disruption to supply all have significant impact on the successful operation of business and organisation.

Mitigate - the impact of the pandemic on the organisation
Businesses will need to take action to ensure that the impact of a flu pandemic is minimised. Supply chain is particularly important here, with supplies being stockpiled and alternative suppliers considered. Infrastructure amends will also need to be considered, including rerouting of telephone systems and purchasing of laptops.

Plan - for the action taken leading up to, and during the pandemic
This will be a series of actions which should be implemented as each of the WHO phases are reached. It is essential to have the plan written and, ideally, tested, as soon as possible.

The seminar will use case studies, exercises and personal experiences of developing pandemic plans within a number of different organisations to help develop the participant understanding of business continuity.

The Flu Pandemic seminar costs £400 (Excluding VAT).

The seminar runs from 10 am to 4 pm.

Book Here Now

Synthetic flu vaccine option?

2009-06-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

A company claims it has created a synthetic version of the swine flu vaccine. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.
Watch the Videos now .

China quarantines U.S. school group over flu concerns

2009-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

A group of students and teachers from a Maryland private school have been quarantined in China because of swine flu concerns, a school spokeswoman said Thursday.

The Chinese government has confined 21 students and three teachers to their hotel rooms in Kaili, China, because a passenger on their plane to China was suspected of having swine flu, or H1N1, said Vicky Temple, director of communications for the Barrie School in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Temple said the students and teachers are occupying two floors of a four-star hotel in the Guizhou province city in southern China.

The quarantine will end Friday, and the students are scheduled to return to the United States on Sunday, Temple said.

Mike Kennedy, the head of Barrie School, said U.S. consular officials have since told the school that the plane passenger does not have swine flu, or H1N1.

"So now our question has been for the last 24 hours, can this quarantine be lifted even sooner than sometime on Friday so these kids can get out and enjoy a little bit of China," he said.

"Since about noon on Monday, they have been in their hotel rooms," he said. "They've missed the lion's share of the itinerary."

China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that the Guizhou province's health bureau announced this week that it had discovered two dozen Americans who had been within four rows of the suspected swine flu case on the plane.

The plane had departed Friday from San Francisco, California.

Kennedy said the students and teachers are permitted to speak to one another through the open doors of their hotel rooms, but are not allowed to leave. "They're being well taken care of, but they are in their hotel rooms," he said.

"It's very frustrating," he said, but added, "I understand and I'd like to say that the Chinese officials have been as kind and friendly to our kids and chaperones as they can be."

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said in a Thursday afternoon briefing that he was aware of the report but said he didn't have any details on the circumstances or what the U.S. officials might be doing about it.

Home Remedies to Avoid Swine Flu

2009-05-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Always cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; ideally use something disposable like a tissue. Avoid touching your face, nose or mouth too frequently with your hands since swine flu appears to be transmitted through respiratory droplets in the same fashion as the common cold.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water since swine flu like other viruses can be contracted by touching objects contaminated by the virus. It's unsure how long the swine flu virus can survive on surrounding surfaces.

Though alcohol based hand sanitizers don't routinely kill viruses they probably do offer some limited protection in preventing swine flu infections.

If swine flu infections have been medically confirmed in your area consider avoiding large public gatherings. Individuals can be contagious with the swine flu virus for several day before demonstrating any signs or symptoms of infection. Be particularly careful about indoor gatherings where air circulates poorly.

If you're really paranoid and don't mind looking odd then consider wearing a respiratory mask.. This barrier method does offer some basic protection against infection though not all masks are created equally. Higher quality masks capable of filtering out some respiratory infections are more expensive.

If you start feeling ill with cold or flu-like symptoms do not go to work. Stay home and begin the usual home remedies for colds and flu. Contact your health care provider, local health department or hospital emergency room if your symptoms worsen or fail to improve for information about where to go to be screened for possible swine flu infection.

What is Swine Flu? its signs and symptoms
In this video, Dr. Joe Bresee with the CDC Influenza Division describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.

What is H1N1 (swine flu)?
H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

To be more specific, Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which infects pigs. There are of many types, and the infection are constantly changing. Until now it had not normally infected humans, but the latest form clearly does, and is spread from person to person - probably through coughing and sneezing.

The World Health Organization has confirmed that at least some of the human cases are a never-before- seen version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A. H1N1 is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis. But this latest version of H1N1 is different: it contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds and swine.

Flu viruses have the ability to swap genetic components with each other, and it seems likely that the new version of H1N1 resulted from a mixing of different versions of the virus, which may usually affect different species, in the same animal host.

Pigs provide an excellent 'melting pot' for these viruses to mix and match with each other.

Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu. These include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue. Most cases so far reported around the world appear to be mild, but in Mexico lives have been lost.

Why is this new H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?
This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.

Novel H1N1 Flu in Humans

Are there human infections with this H1N1 virus in the U.S.?
Yes. Cases of human infection with this H1N1 influenza virus were first confirmed in the U.S. in Southern California and near Guadalupe County, Texas. The outbreak intensified rapidly from that time and more and more states have been reporting cases of illness from this virus.

Is this new H1N1 virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this new H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?
The symptoms of this new H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

How severe is illness associated with this new H1N1 virus?
It’s not known at this time how severe this virus will be in the general population. CDC is studying the medical histories of people who have been infected with this virus to determine whether some people may be at greater risk from infection, serious illness or hospitalization from the virus. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with chronic medical conditions. It’s unknown at this time whether certain groups of people are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications from infection with this new virus. CDC also is conducting laboratory studies to see if certain people might have natural immunity to this virus, depending on their age.

How does this new H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of this H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?
At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. CDC is studying the virus and its capabilities to try to learn more and will provide more information as it becomes available.
Exposures Not Thought to Spread New H1N1 Flu

Can I get infected with this new H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get this new HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

Is there a risk from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.

Can the new H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues?
Influenza viruses infect the human upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of influenza virus infection associated with water exposure. Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine.

Can H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water?
Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this novel H1N1 flu is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Prevention & Treatment

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against this new H1N1 virus. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* Stay home if you are sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.

Other important actions that you can take are:

* Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
* Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs, tissues and other related items might could be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. If you are sick, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. CDC recommends that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where people have been identified with new H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people, except to seek medical care.

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Fast breathing or trouble breathing
* Bluish or gray skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Not waking up or not interacting
* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Sudden dizziness
* Confusion
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Are there medicines to treat infection with this new virus?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with the new H1N1 flu virus. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current outbreak, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during is to treat severe influenza illness.

The US authorities say that two drugs commonly used to treat flu, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem to be effective at treating cases that have occurred there so far. However, the drugs must be administered at an early stage to be effective. Use of these drugs may also make it less likely that infected people will pass the virus on to others

What is CDC’s recommendation regarding "swine flu parties"?
"Swine flu parties" are gatherings during which people have close contact with a person who has novel H1N1 flu in order to become infected with the virus. The intent of these parties is to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity to the novel H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease.

CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against novel H1N1 flu in the future. While the disease seen in the current novel H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus.

CDC recommends that people with novel H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. They should stay home from work or school for 7 days after the onset of illness or until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

Contamination & Cleaning

How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?
Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.

What kills influenza virus?
Influenza virus is destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. For example, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. The gels should be rubbed into hands until they are dry.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How should waste disposal be handled to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash. Additionally, persons should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste.

What household cleaning should be done to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

How should linens, eating utensils and dishes of persons infected with influenza virus be handled?
Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.
Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry.

Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

The first case has already been reported from India from neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh.

What about bird flu?
The strain of bird flu which has caused scores of human deaths in South East Asia in recent years is a different strain to that responsible for the current outbreak of swine flu.

The latest form of swine flu is a new type of the H1N1 strain, while bird, or avian flu, is H5N1.

Experts fear H5N1 hold the potential to trigger a pandemic because of its ability to mutate rapidly.

However, up until now it has remained very much a disease of birds.

Those humans who have been infected have, without exception, worked closely with birds, and cases of human-to-human transmission are extremely rare - there is no suggestion that H5N1 has gained the ability to pass easily from person to person.

Flu scare reveals strapped local health agencies

2009-05-26T01:18:00.000-07:00

The swine flu outbreak fell short of a full-blown international crisis, but revealed the precarious state of local health departments, the community bulwarks against disease and health emergencies in the United States.

A sustained, widespread pandemic would overwhelm many departments that are struggling with cutbacks as well as increased demand from people who have lost jobs and medical insurance.

Stung by the lean economy, 13 states and U.S. territories had smaller health budgets in 2008 than in 2007, and eight more made midyear cuts, according to a survey by an advocacy group, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. With local budgets also in trouble, many health officials fear a serious outbreak.

"We would be in a lot of trouble," said Alameda County's director of public health, Anthony Iton in Oakland. "We weren't tested to push the system to see how it responds when you have to make hard decisions. I worry about that because the resources have been cut."

A review by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department in January noted great strides in preparedness but said many shortfalls remain. They include the ability to maintain public health functions such as food safety and daily needs during a pandemic, and the capacity to meet surges in health care demand and to strategically close schools.

State capabilities vary. But some local departments, strapped by layoffs and working overtime on swine flu, say they could not maintain the pace in a major outbreak. An Associated Press review found troubling signs:

_Twenty-nine public health workers in Sacramento County, Calif., learned just before being called to work on swine flu that they probably will lose their jobs this summer. Senior nurse Carol Tucker, contacting potential flu victims, thought about future epidemics.

"Who will be around to do these things?" she said.

_Nationwide, officials have reported more than more than 6,700 swine flu cases, and 12 deaths.

"We have good plans and we're exercising them," said Matthew A. Stefanak, health commissioner of Mahoning County, Ohio, whose work force dropped 20 percent in two years. "But for the nuts and bolts of an outbreak - contact investigations, probable cases of H1N1 flu - we don't have the manpower, the trained disease investigators the public health nurses who would do it. That's where we're weakest right now."

_Federal investment in local emergency planning since attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has paid off in a smooth response to the limited swine flu outbreak. But the money has dwindled.

Last year at least 10,000 local and state health department jobs were lost to attrition and layoffs, including at laboratories that identify disease strains, according to surveys by the state and territorial group and the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

An annual flu-shot clinic no longer comes to town hall in Berlin Center, Ohio. "The real danger is how many just won't get shots," said Ivan Hoyle, 78.

Public health nurses such as Erica Horner won't deliver in-home newborn help in Mahoning County. With the program closed, Horner's duties will change.

_People calling for routine immunizations now reach a recording saying the Worcester, Mass., clinic is closed. With just two of its six public health nurses surviving layoffs, the city is re-evaluating its responsibilities and says it can meet emergencies by working with the University of Massachusetts and local hospitals.

Ann Cappabianca, one of the remaining nurses, scrambles to track communicable disease and tuberculosis cases. "We just can't get it all done. You try to focus on the most important thing at the moment," she said.

Worst is having to make cuts without "enough ability to assess the needs of my community," said Bob England, the health director of Arizona's sprawling Maricopa County, which closed its family planning clinic.

Public health departments will get some help from this year's stimulus spending of $1 billion for prevention and wellness efforts.

But it will take years to bring local health agencies to the point where they can fight a sustained, widespread pandemic, said Richard Hamburg, a lobbyist at the nonprofit Trust for America's Health, an advocacy group supported by private and government grants.

A report from the group in December found emergency planning gaps in areas such as rapid disease detection, food safety and "surge capacity" to quickly scale up equipment, staff and supplies to meet a major outbreak.

Dan Sosin, head of emergency response at the Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness, praised the federal swine flu response, but acknowledged that public health officials face "capacity issues in terms of ongoing resources and funding."

"We could spend more money," he said. "We could use more than we have."

The CDC's acting director, Richard Besser, told Congress last month the government is concerned about states being too short-staffed to conduct required emergency exercises.

The main fund for local health emergency planning after the Sept. 11 attacks, the federal Public Health Emergency Preparedness program, has dropped nearly one-third since a 2006 peak of almost $1 billion, according to CDC figures. The money had included a special three-year congressional allocation for pandemic flu preparation that ran out last year.

President Barack Obama now is asking Congress for $1.5 billion to fight swine flu.

A second fund to help local agencies plan for public health emergencies, the Hospital Preparedness Program, has fallen nearly a quarter from $457 million in the 2006 budget year.

Decreases in the Public Health Emergency Preparedness program were most significant in Iowa, Mississippi, Colorado, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Louisiana. After a pair of killer hurricanes hit Louisiana in 2005, Washington sent nearly $15 million in 2006 health emergency help. This year, it's down to $9.8 million.

Louisiana's dollars from the hospital program slid from $7.1 million in 2006 to $5.2 million this year.

Even New York City, site of one of the Sept. 11 attacks, saw its Public Health Emergency Preparedness program funds fall to $20.6 million this year from $28.7 million during the 2006 budget year.

In Orange County, Fla., people were diverted from other duties for swine flu needs in a health department increasingly burdened with a range of demands as people lose jobs, said health director Kevin Sherin.

Sherin, president of the advocacy group American Association of Public Health Physicians, questioned longer-term capabilities for lab and field work in his state and elsewhere.

"In the event of a real emergency, these systems have capacity problems," he said.

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, a nonprofit lobbying group, said that after the federal emergency buildup, "We didn't complete the job and we didn't make the system sustainable. Our ability to manage more than one thing, or scale up fast is really worrisome."

---

On the Net:

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials: http://www.astho.org/

Health and Human Services Department: http://www.hhs.gov/

National Association of County and City Health Officials: http://www.naccho.org/

Trust for America's Health: http://healthyamericans.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness: http://cdc.gov/

Public Health Preparedness Program: http://emergency.cdc.gov/cotper/cphp/

Hospital Preparedness Program: http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/opeo/hpp/

American Association of Public Health Physicians: http://www.aaphp.org/

American Public Health Association: http://www.apha.org/

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

2009-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

A New Influenza Virus
Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in April, 2009. The virus is infecting people and is spreading from person-to-person, sparking a growing outbreak of illness in the United States. An increasing number of cases are being reported internationally as well.

It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.

It’s uncertain at this time how severe this novel H1N1 outbreak will be in terms of illness and death compared with other influenza viruses. Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result. In addition, currently there is no vaccine to protect against this novel H1N1 virus. CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this new virus in the coming days and weeks.

Novel influenza A (H1N1) activity is now being detected through CDC’s routine influenza surveillance systems and reported weekly in FluView. CDC tracks U.S. influenza activity through multiple systems across five categories. The fact that novel H1N1 activity is now detected through seasonal surveillance systems is an indication that there are higher levels of influenza-like illness in the United States than is normal for this time of year. About half of all influenza viruses being detected are novel H1N1 viruses.

Learn more about it : http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

US swine flu deaths hit double-digits

2009-05-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

SALT LAKE CITY – Swine flu forced Christina Huitron to make a choice no mother should ever have to make.

On Wednesday she told doctors to take her 21-year-old son off life support, making Marcos Sanchez the nation's 10th fatality associated with the newly discovered virus that continues to spread across the globe.

"I knew he was suffering," Christina Huitron told KSL-TV. "I don't know how he was feeling, but I just knew I had to do it because he was passing away slowly anyways, and I didn't want him to suffer anymore."

Sanchez checked into a suburban hospital Saturday, vomiting blood and burning with fever, Huitron told The Salt Lake Tribune. By Tuesday he was suffering from multiple organ failure.

Dr. David Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, said Marcos, the state's first swine flu fatality, was overweight and had chronic medical conditions, including respiratory problems, that put him at risk.

"This is not a person who was overall genuinely healthy," Sundwall said.

Sanchez had not traveled recently. Dagmar Vitek, medical director for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, said an investigation to determine how he contracted the virus was under way. Utah has 122 confirmed cases of the virus.

In neighboring Arizona, health officials said Wednesday a 13-year-old boy from Tucson also has died with swine flu. The teenager died Friday of complications from the flu. He had been hospitalized May 10.

Pima County Health Department spokeswoman Patti Woodcock said an older sibling of the teen is hospitalized with the virus, while other family members have recovered.

Swine flu has sickened more than 11,000 people in 41 countries and killed 85, according to the World Health Organization, whose figures often trail those of individual countries. Mexico has reported 75 deaths, the U.S. 10, and one in both Canada and Costa Rica.

In New York City, officials, colleagues, friends and family gathered Wednesday at a funeral home to remember Mitchell Wiener, an 55-year-old assistant principal who died of swine flu Sunday.

"Whenever I needed help, I used to always go to him," student Jeffery Grey told reporters outside the funeral home. "I really don't know who to go to now when I need help."

Two more New York City public schools closed because of swine flu, bringing the number of city public and private schools shuttered within the last week to 23. One school closed Thursday across the Hudson River in Fort Lee, N.J., another closed in Reno, Nev., and four schools closed in Lodi, Wis., after students were sickened.

Judy Davis, a spokeswoman for the Washoe County District Health Department in Nevada, said state, county and school officials agreed that closing Mendive Middle School in Sparks was "best course of action" to prevent further spread of the flu after five students were sickened and one was hospitalized.

But experts said closing schools once students were already ill would do little to halt the virus' seemingly inexorable spread.

"As a disease containment measure, it is not likely to be effective," said Dr. Paul Biddinger, associate director of the Center for Public Health Preparedness at the Harvard School of Public Health.

(This version CORRECTS that Patti Woodcock is a spokeswoman for the Pima County (Ariz.) Health Department, not the Arizona Department of Health Services.)

Swing Flu is Slowing Down in Mexico

2009-05-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Influenza A(H1N1) Swine Flu which is dangerous Virus or Flu and this Swing Flu or Influenza A(H1N1) which is coming from the pig. The Mexico has been affected greatly and for this reason they announced to close the schools,cafe,shops and restaurants. But the good the news is the swine flu influenza outbreak have been dropping, according to health officials.

Mexico’s Secretary of Health told reporters over the weekend that the epidemic in that country had peaked and the number of new cases was on the decline. He also complained that some countries – most notably China – had reacted inappropriately by quarantining some travelers arriving from Mexico, even though they showed no symptoms of influenza. We’ll look at how various countries have acted – even over-reacted in some cases – to protect their borders and their citizens from the possible pandemi

According to BBC:

Restaurants and cafes in Mexico City are to reopen on Wednesday after the country recorded a fall in new cases of the swine flu virus.

Libraries, museums and churches are to follow suit a day later but cinemas, theatres and bars are to remain closed, the mayor’s office said.

Government officials are meeting to discuss when schools and businesses across the country can resume work.

More than 1,000 cases of the virus have been reported in 20 countries.

Confirmed cases in the US have risen from 226 to 286, spread over 36 states, with most patients suffering mild symptoms. One death has been confirmed - that of a Mexican two-year-old boy who was visiting Texas.

Officials say the rise in cases in recent days was due to results of lab tests coming through, rather than because of a new surge in cases.

The UN says it has seen no evidence of a spread at community level in Europe and Asia - a development that would trigger the highest level of alert.

Dr Keiji Fukuda, deputy chief of the World Health Organization (WHO), told reporters it was essential that surveillance remained strong worldwide.

Transmission to people who have not visited Mexico has been confirmed in six countries.

The virus is suspected of claiming 101 lives in Mexico though the number of confirmed cases there is 26, its health minister said on Monday.

After Mexico accused China of unfairly quarantining some of its citizens, the two countries sent planes to pick up each other’s citizens.

In other developments

• Canada’s confirmed number of cases rose to 140

• Of nine new confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK, seven appear to have been acquired from people who had not been to Mexico; total confirmed cases stood at 27

• About 250 recruits and personnel at an army camp in the western Swiss canton of Fribourg were placed under quarantine after two recruits reported having flu symptoms

‘Phase of decline’

Mexico’s shutdown is credited with stemming the spread of the virus but it badly affected the country’s economy.

President Felipe Calderon went on national TV on Sunday night to say a nationwide shutdown and an aggressive information campaign appeared to have helped curtail the outbreak in Mexico.

“We have succeeded in detaining or at least slowing the spread of the virus precisely because the measures have been the correct ones,” he said.

Swine flu has been confirmed as the cause of 26 deaths in Mexico and 701 people have been infected, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Monday.

Earlier, he had said the epidemic was “in its phase of decline”, having peaked between 23 and 28 April.

Talking about the possible reopening of schools, he warned it would “not happen just like that”. “There will have to be training, preparations for teachers and parents,” he told reporters.

Inhabitants of the capital interviewed by Reuters news agency on Sunday spoke of their frustration at the upset caused by the restrictions.

“They should open everything back up so we can work,” said Alberto Vazquez, 28, who washes cars for a living.

“These last days have been hard on us. If we don’t work, we don’t eat.”

‘Deceptive’ virus

Mexico has criticised China for placing in quarantine up to 70 Mexicans even though they showed no sign of having contracted swine flu.

A Mexican-chartered plane has left for Beijing to pick up Mexican citizens from different Chinese cities.

China, which denies discrimination, sent a plane in the opposite direction to pick up 200 Chinese nationals stranded in Mexico City.

A Mexican man staying in a Hong Kong hotel was confirmed to have contracted the virus on Friday. More than 250 guests and staff at the hotel are being held under quarantine for a week.

Canada asked China for an explanation on Monday after it also quarantined a group of at least 20 Canadian students, none of whom had shown any flu symptoms, in the north-eastern town of Changchun.

WHO chief Margaret Chan said there was “no indication” that swine flu, or H1N1, might develop into a pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu which killed tens of millions at the end of World War I.

Addressing a meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York by video link from Geneva, she also cautioned against complacency: “Flu viruses are very unpredictable, very deceptive… We should not be over-confident. One must not give H1N1 the opportunity to mix with other viruses.”

UN chief Ban Ki-moon, in New York, said the WHO did not plan to raise its pandemic alert to the highest level if the outbreak continued in its current pattern.

The severity of the swine flu virus remains uncertain, the BBC’s Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.

Health experts worldwide want to know which population groups are most vulnerable and why the virus has caused severe pneumonia among some patients, and diarrhoea - not normally associated with flu - in others, our correspondent says.

On Tuesday the WHO will hold a meeting of doctors and scientists to discuss these questions. The answers, the WHO says, will help all those working to control and treat the virus.

Dr. Joe Bresee with the CDC Influenza Division describes swine flu

2009-05-18T02:13:00.000-07:00

If you are eager to know about swin Flu the Listen this Video where the details describes about Signs & Symptoms

UK had again hit Swin Flu more cases observed

2009-05-18T02:08:00.000-07:00

14 further patients under investigation in England have today (Sunday) been confirmed with swine flu bringing the current total number of confirmed UK cases to 101.

There are six adults and eight children among the new confirmed cases in the East of England, London and the South East regions – 11 contacts of previously confirmed cases, 2 returning travellers and one whose source of infection remains under investigation.

155 cases are currently under laboratory investigation in the UK. These cases change on a daily basis. Because of the time-lag between the reporting of symptoms, the testing and the results, the new cases reported daily may have recovered and may now be symptom-free.

Public gatherings
There are no restrictions on public gatherings like music festivals. The Department of Health is advising people to carry on with their daily lives as normal.

For Immediate Help

Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure Swin Flu

2009-05-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure supplies of up to 90 million doses of pre-pandemic H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine before a pandemic begins, the Department of Health has announced.

The deals signed between Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Baxter, will enable production of pre-pandemic vaccine to begin as soon as possible.

The agreements could provide enough vaccine to protect the most vulnerable in our population before a pandemic is likely to arrive, without affecting our supply of seasonal flu vaccine.

There are over 101 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK. Most cases are linked to either previously confirmed cases or are returning travellers.

The pandemic flu alert level from the World Health Organization (WHO) remains at Phase Five. Other recent developments include:

I have flu-like symptoms - what should I do?

2009-05-11T02:55:00.000-07:00

Stay at home and rest.
Take medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve the symptoms (following the instructions with the medicines). Children under 16 must not be given aspirin or ready-made flu remedies containing aspirin.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you have recently travelled to Mexico or the US or you have been in contact with someone who has confirmed or probable swine flu.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you develop complications such as shortness of breath.
Before you call, check your symptoms with this symptom checker.

What can I do to protect myself and my family?

2009-05-11T02:54:00.000-07:00

Good hygiene is the key. You can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading influenza by:

Using a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Disposing of used tissues promptly and carefully.
Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to your face, or to other people.
Cleaning hard surfaces (eg kitchen worktops, door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.

What is the current state of alert?

2009-05-11T02:52:00.000-07:00

The swine flu alert level from the World Health Organization (WHO) remains at Phase Five, which means there is human-to-human spread of the virus in at least two countries in the same region. Phase Five is a strong signal that "a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the organisation, communication, and implementation of planned mitigation measures is short," says the WHO. This is something that is already well under way in the UK.

As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to Phase Four or raise the level of alert to Phase Six, the highest level. The decision to move to Phase Five was based primarily on data demonstrating sustainable human-to-human transmission of the virus.

The WHO has defined six stages in the development of a pandemic. A virus outbreak is only classified as a pandemic at Phase Six.

Countries with confirmed cases of swine flu

2009-05-11T02:49:00.000-07:00

Mexico: 1626 (45 deaths)
US: 2254 (2 deaths)
Canada: 280 (1 death)
Spain: 93
UK: 55
France: 12
Germany: 11
Italy: 9
Costa Rica: 8 (1 death)
Israel: 7
New Zealand: 7
Brazil: 6
Japan: 4
Republic of Korea: 3
Netherlands: 3
Panama: 3
El Salvador: 2
Argentina: 1
Austria: 1
Australia: 1
Sweden: 1
Denmark: 1
Colombia: 1
Switzerland: 1
Hong Kong: 1
Ireland: 1
Portugal: 1
Guatemala: 1
Poland: 1

What You Need to Know

2009-05-11T02:47:00.000-07:00

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the current level of the influenza pandemic alert from phase four to five. Part of a six-phased approach, phase five is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region.

“Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread to every country in the world,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan in a statement on April 29.

International Medical Corps continues to monitor the spread of A/H1N1 infection. No cases have been reported in any areas of IMC’s international operations, but field staff members are prepared in the event that the disease spreads.

“International Medical Corps staff from Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia attended a three-day meeting in Addis, Ethiopia last week to discuss coordination for Pandemic Flu and review what resources are available in each country if there is an outbreak,” says Stephen Tomlin, Vice President of Program Policy and Planning at International Medical Corps.

According to WHO, 21 countries have officially reported a total of 1,124 cases of A/H1N1 infection. The United States has reported 286 confirmed human cases, including one death. Mexico has reported 590 confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Austria (1), Canada (140), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (54), Switzerland (1), and the United Kingdom (18).

“While the A/H1N1 virus has spread very rapidly, we are better prepared to handle an influenza outbreak than ever before because of efforts that had been taken for taken H5N1 since 2006,” says Tomlin.

International Medical Corps staff members have pandemic plans and will coordinate our response if there is a confirmed outbreak in an IMC country of operation. IMC’s community-level approach to programming has provided opportunities for prevention activities - including at the household level - that will stem the spread of most flu like illnesses.

As is the case with any viral flu, International Medical Corps health workers recommend the following:

1. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze

2. Wash your hands frequently

3. Don't run down your ability to fight infection

4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

5. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

'International concern' about Swin Flu

2009-05-05T06:07:00.000-07:00

In the US, seven people in California, two people in Texas, and two people in Kansas have been infected with the new strain.

In New York, city health commissioner Dr Thomas Frieden said preliminary tests conducted on the ailing students showed they were possible cases of swine flu.

Further tests will clarify if it was the same strain that was detected in the other three states.

Following a meeting of its emergency committee on Saturday, the WHO said the virus had the potential to become a pandemic but it was too early to say whether that would happen.

WHO Director General Margaret Chan said recent events constituted "a public health emergency of international concern" and that countries needed to co-operate in heightening surveillance.

The WHO is advising all countries to be vigilant for seasonally unusual flu or pneumonia-like symptoms among their populations - particularly among young healthy adults, a characteristic of past pandemics.

Officials said most of those killed so far in Mexico were young adults - rather than more vulnerable children and the elderly.

There is currently no vaccine for the new strain but severe cases can be treated with antiviral medication.

It is unclear how effective currently available flu vaccines would be at offering protection against the new strain, as it is genetically distinct from other flu strains.

Mexico flu sparks worldwide fear

2009-05-05T06:04:00.000-07:00

Mexican authorities have taken drastic measures to contain a new strain of the swine flu virus that has killed 81 and prompted fears of a global pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the situation remains serious but "the picture is evolving".

Several countries have reported suspected cases of infection - the latest were eight students in New York who were confirmed to have swine flu.

But US cases of infections had not had contact with pigs, the WHO said.

H1N1 is the same strain that causes seasonal flu outbreaks in humans, but the newly detected version contains genetic material from versions of flu which usually affect pigs and birds.

The respiratory virus - which infects pigs but only sporadically humans - is spread mainly through coughs and sneezes.

The WHO has warned the virus has the potential to become a pandemic, and has urged all governments to step up surveillance.

Several countries in Asia and Latin America have begun screening airport passengers for symptoms.

Suspected outbreaks

Although all of the deaths so far have been in Mexico, the flu is spreading in the United States and suspected cases have been detected elsewhere:

Eleven confirmed infections in the US
In addition, eight suspected cases are being investigated at a New York City high school where about 200 students fell mildly ill with flu-like symptoms
Ten New Zealand students are among a group which travelled to Mexico have tested positive for influenza A - making it "likely", though not definite, that they are infected with swine flu, said Health Minister Tony Ryall
In France, a top health official told Le Parisien newspaper there were unconfirmed suspicions that two individuals who had just returned from Mexico may be carrying the virus
Spain's health ministry says three people who returned from a trip from Mexico with flu symptoms are in isolation and being tested
In Israel, medics are testing a 26-year-old man who has been taken to hospital with flu-like symptoms after returning from a trip to Mexico
But a UK hospital conducting tests for swine flu on a British Airways cabin crew member said the tests proved negative.

Mexico shutdown

The Mexican government, which has faced criticism for what some see as a slow reaction to this outbreak, is now taking an increasingly hard line to try to contain the virus, says the BBC's Stephen Gibbs in Mexico City.

Public buildings have been closed and hundreds of public events suspended.

Schools in and around Mexico City have been closed until 6 May, and some 70% of bars and restaurants in the capital have been temporarily closed.

People are being strongly urged to avoid shaking hands, and the US embassy has advised visitors to the country to keep at least six feet (1.8m) from other people.

Mexico's Health Secretary, Jose Cordova, said a total of 1,324 people had been admitted to hospital with suspected symptoms since 13 April and were being tested for the virus.

"In that same period, 81 deaths were recorded probably linked to the virus but only in 20 cases we have the laboratory tests to confirm it," he said.

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon has announced emergency measures to deal with the situation.

They include powers to isolate individuals suspected of having the virus without fear of legal repercussions.

Spain leads Europe in swine flu cases with 40

2009-05-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

MEXICO CITY – Swine flu extended its reach through Europe and Latin America, with at least five countries reporting new cases on Sunday. Health experts were investigating a case of the virus jumping from a person to pigs, trying to determine if the disease was reaching a new stage.

Hong Kong kept 350 people under quarantine in a hotel as a precaution even though no new swine flu infections appeared in Asia, and Egypt's attempt to kill all pigs as a precaution against the disease prompted pig owners to clash with police who were helping to seize their animals for slaughter.

So far the swine flu epidemic has killed 19 in people in Mexico and one toddler in the U.S. and has spread to 18 countries worldwide — but experts believe the actual spread is much wider.

Mexico's health secretary said 11 people were suspected to have died from the virus in the previous 24 hours. The alarming news came after the epidemic's toll in Mexico appeared to have been leveling off.

The global caseload was nearing 800 and growing — the vast majority in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Colombia on Sunday reported South America's first confirmed case of swine flu a day after Costa Rica reported the first in Central America.

The Spanish Health Ministry said the country now has 40 confirmed cases of swine flu — making it the European nation hardest hit by the virus. It said most of the victims have already recovered. All but two had recently visited Mexico.

Britain, Italy and Germany also reported new cases.

But just over a week into the outbreak, the virus largely remains an unpredictable mystery.

Hong Kong — which was criticized for delaying quarantine measures during the SARS outbreak — sealed the downtown Metropark Hotel, where a sickened Mexican tourist had stayed, trapping 350 guests and employees inside.

About a half dozen police officers wearing masks guarded the hotel Sunday, even though all those at the hotel were reported to be healthy. One guest said he walked on the stairs for exercise and to alleviate boredom.

"It's highly inconvenient. That's what's affecting people, because it took us by surprise," said 45-year-old Kevin Ireland, who was on a business trip from New Delhi, India.

Scientists warn that the virus could mutate into a deadlier form.

"Influenza is unpredictable," said Dr. Tim Uyeki, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who has worked on SARS and H5N1 bird flu outbreaks. "There are so many unanswered questions. This is a brand new virus. There's so much we don't know about the human infectious with this virus."

Right now, one of the biggest hurdles is a lack of information from Mexico. A team of international and Mexican virus sleuths is trying to piece together an epidemiological picture of who's dying and where transmission began, while also uncovering just how it's attacking people with severe illness. But details are emerging slowly.

Late Saturday, Mexico's confirmed swine flu cases jumped by about 25 to 473, including the 19 deaths. A Mexican toddler also died in Texas days ago, for a worldwide total of 20.

President Barack Obama urged caution.

"This is a new strain of the flu virus, and because we haven't developed an immunity to it, it has more potential to cause us harm," Obama said. Later, he spoke with Mexican President Felipe Calderon to share information.

Pablo Kuri, a Mexican epidemiologist, said three of the dead were children: a 9-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy. Four were older than 60. The other nine were between 21 and 39 — unusual ages for people to die from flu because they tend to have stronger immune systems.

Although most of the dead were from the Mexico City area, they came from different neighborhoods in the metropolis of 20 million, and there were no similarities linking their medical backgrounds.

One theory for the deaths is that perhaps they sought treatment too late — falling sick an average of seven days before seeing a doctor. Many of the sick around the world were people who had visited Mexico, including 13 of Britain's 16 cases.

The World Health Organization earlier announced that a pandemic was imminent, but it has decided against declaring a full pandemic alert. Still, that doesn't mean people can relax, said Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO's global alert and response director.

"These viruses mutate, these viruses change, these viruses can further reassort with other genetic material, with other viruses," he said. "So it would be imprudent at this point to take too much reassurance" from the small number of deaths.

In the Canadian province of Alberta, health and agriculture officials said about 220 pigs on a farm were quarantined after being infected by a worker who had recently returned from Mexico. They stressed that swine viruses are common in pigs, and there was no need for consumers to stop eating pork as long as it's handled properly and cooked thoroughly.

The pigs are all recovering in the first documented case of the H1N1 human flu being passed to another species.

In Egypt, police fired shots in the air and tear gas at pig owners who stoned them in an attempt to prevent government workers from slaughtering their animals as a precaution against swine flu. A security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said 12 people were injured in the Manshiyet Nasr slum.

In Baghdad, Iraqi officials killed three wild boars at Baghdad's zoo because of swine flu fears, even though health experts say the virus is not transmitted by pigs. Iraq has no documented cases of swine flu.

Swine flu cases pass 100, vaccine promised

2009-05-01T03:55:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. authorities are pledging to eventually produce enough swine flu vaccine for everyone but the shots couldn't begin until fall at the earliest.

Worries about the spread of the virus mounted Thursday as the nation's swine flu caseload passed 100, and nearly 300 schools closed in communities across the country. Federal officials had to spend much of the day reassuring the public it's still safe to fly and ride public transportation after Vice President Joe Biden said he wouldn't recommend it to his family.

Clinics and hospital emergency rooms in New York, California and some other states are seeing a surge in patients with coughs and sneezes that might have been ignored before the outbreak.

Scientists were racing to prepare the key ingredient to make a vaccine against the never-before-seen flu strain - if it's ultimately needed. But it will take several months before the first pilot lots begin required human testing to ensure the vaccine is safe and effective. If all goes well, broader production could start in the fall.

"We think 600 million doses is achievable in a six-month time frame" from that fall start, Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Craig Vanderwagen told lawmakers.

"I don't want anybody to have false expectations. The science is challenging here," Vanderwagen told reporters. "Production can be done, robust production capacity is there. It's a question of can we get the science worked on the specifics of this vaccine."

Until a vaccine is ready, the government has stockpiled anti-viral medications that can ease flu symptoms or help prevent infection. The medicines are proving effective.

Reassurances from top health officials didn't stop the questions from coming.

An estimated 12,000 people logged onto a Webcast where the government's top emergency officials sought to cut confusion by answering questions straight from the public: Can a factory worker handling parts from Mexico catch the virus? No. Can pets get it? No.

And is washing hands or using those alcohol-based hand gels best? Washing well enough is the real issue, answered Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He keeps hand gel in his pocket for between-washings but also suggested that people sing "Happy Birthday" as they wash their hands to make sure they've washed long enough to get rid of germs.

Although it is safe to fly, anyone with flu-like symptoms shouldn't be traveling anywhere, unless they need to seek medical care.

The swine flu outbreak penetrated over a dozen states and even touched the White House, which disclosed that an aide to Energy Secretary Steven Chu apparently got sick helping arrange President Barack Obama's recent trip to Mexico but that the aide did not fly on Air Force One and never posed a risk to the president.

So far U.S. cases are mostly fairly mild with one death, a Mexican toddler who visited Texas with his family - unlike in Mexico where more than 160 suspected deaths have been reported. Most of the U.S. cases so far haven't needed a doctor's care, officials said.

Still, the U.S. is taking extraordinary precautions - including shipping millions of doses of anti-flu drugs to states in case they're needed. The World Health Organization is warning of an imminent pandemic because scientists cannot predict what a brand-new virus might do. A key concern is whether this spring outbreak will resurge in the fall.

The CDC confirmed 109 cases Thursday, and state officials confirm 22 more. Cases now are confirmed in New York, Texas, California, South Carolina, Kansas, Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Maine, Colorado, Georgia and Minnesota.

Pandemic 'could kill 750,000 in UK'

2009-05-01T03:36:00.000-07:00

Up to 1.2 million people could end up in hospital and 750,000 killed if a flu pandemic sweeps the nation, according to draft Government guidance about an outbreak. Skip related content

As hospitals are "rapidly" overwhelmed by patients, doctors may have to begin operating a lottery system for intensive care, the blueprint from last year adds.

It also warns that a worst-case pandemic scenario of "catastrophic severity" could result in the "complete or partial collapse of some or all hospital infrastructures".

Top medics have downplayed the predictions, saying factors like Britain's high state of readiness and high immunity levels will lessen the impact.

The bleak forecasts come in "Pandemic influenza: Surge capacity and prioritisation in health services", which was prepared by the Department of Health (DH) last September.

It says up to half the UK population - or 30 million people - could get influenza if the bug outbreak turns into a pandemic.

In the worst case, there would be 2,000 hospital admissions per 100,000 people - or 1.2 million people. There would also be 1,250 fatalities per 100,000 - or 750,000 people.

The report says: "Over the entire period of a pandemic, up to 50% of the population may show clinical symptoms of influenza.

"This could result in the total healthcare contacts for influenza-like illness increasing from around one million during a 'normal' season up to 30 million."

There are also grim implications for the demand of the nation's estimated 3,450 adult intensive care beds and 320 children's.

Three new swine flu cases in UK

2009-04-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

THREE more victims of swine flu have been diagnosed in the UK — including a 12-year-old girl.
The English outbreaks were confirmed as it was revealed the killer bug had claimed its first death outside Mexico — a 23-month-old toddler in the United States.

The World Health Organisation warned the swine flu outbreak is moving closer to becoming a pandemic.

The 12-year-old is believed to have contracted the virus on a recent holiday to Mexico before returning to school at Paignton Community and Sports College in Devon this week.

Friends say she had been holidaying with her family on a farm in Mexico — where more than 150 people have died.

Charlotte Cleverdon, 11, a pupil at the school, said: "This afternoon at 1pm a teacher came in and told us what was happening and we were going home.

“Everyone started crying and holding their noses.”

The youngster was on the same flight as the Askhams, the Scottish couple who were the first UK victims to be diagnosed with swine flu
Lisa Walton, 36, who has two sons, Liam and Jack, at the school, said: “We just had no idea about what was happening here.

“The school had not told us about it, and my son said the pupils were told around 1pm today. Right now we just don’t know what to think. Obviously it’s a worry.”

The girl was one of three new confirmed cases announced by Gordon Brown at Prime Minister’s Question Time with the other two in Birmingham and London.

And new information providing advice about the swine flu outbreak will be up and running tomorrow, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said tonight.

Updating MPs on the “very fast moving situation” he said concerned members of the public will be able to call 0800 1513513 from tomorrow for recorded information about the virus

Paignton College — which has more than 1,900 pupils — is being closed until Monday, May 11, in a bid to minimise the spread of the infection.

Pupils were sent home with a letter from Principal Jane English which said: “A pupil in Year 7 has been confirmed as having swine flu.

“The pupil is at home and is recovering well.”

The Health Protection Agency in Devon identified that the girl had been in close contact with 50 fellow pupils and others, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said.

He added that Tamiflu anti-virals had now been given to 230 pupils — the whole of her school year — as a precautionary measure.

Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay Adrian Sanders said: "We need people to remain calm and listen to advice from the health authority."

The two other victims were said to be a 41-year-old woman, from Redditch, Worcs, and a 22-year-old man from north west London.

Another 76 patients were being tested around the UK, 20 of whom were in Wales.

A total of 32 possible cases were now under investigation in Scotland.

The PM also confirmed today that the NHS is trying to buy "millions" more face masks to protect nurses and doctors treating flu victims — 18 months after The Sun exposed sham promises to stockpile them.

The Government will also increase the number of doses of anti-virals from 35million to 50million.

And health bosses revealed today leaflets on swine flu will be sent out to every UK household.

The virus is now known to have spread to EIGHT countries.

The first victim of swine flu in the US was a 23-month-old Mexican boy who travelled to Texas from Mexico.

Authorities in Houston said the boy was first admitted to hospital in the border town of Brownsville.
He had flown to the US with his parents from Mexico City and was staying with relatives.

The toddler fell ill soon after arriving on April 4 developing a fever and flu like symptoms.

His condition deteriorated and on April 13 he was taken to hospital in Brownsville and later transferred to a Houston area hospital where he died on Monday.

Health chiefs said the boy had flown from Mexico City to Matamoros on a commercial flight.

In Geneva, WHO flu chief Dr Keiji Fukuda said there was no evidence the virus was slowing down – and becoming a pandemic

This could lead the agency to raise its pandemic alert to phase 5 – warning of widespread human-to-human transmission.

In Spain - where 10 people have been confirmed with swine flu - a first case was discovered of someone catching the disease WITHOUT travelling to Mexico.

UK people can contact Here

Experts fear a pandemic will see four in ten Brits go down with the bug.

But manufacturers of masks said Britain had NO CHANCE of getting enough — because other countries had snapped them up.

Britain's first contaminated victims were yesterday revealed to be honeymoon couple 27-year-old Iain and Dawn Askham, 24.

The Scot newlyweds fell ill days after returning to their home near Falkirk from Cancun a week ago.

Eight people who have been in contact with them have tested negative for the virus, Scotland Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said today.

Ms Sturgeon also told parliament she had spoken to Mr Askham on the telephone.

She said: “A short while ago, I spoke to Iain Askham and passed on very best wishes of this parliament and the whole country to both him and his wife Dawn.

“I am pleased to report that they are continuing to recover in hospital.”

The H1N1 virus has killed 159 out of 2,498 infected in Mexico but Britain claims to have enough anti-viral drugs to fight the virus.

The Government pledged four years ago to stockpile disposable masks for NHS staff in any pandemic. But 18 months ago we revealed a chronic shortage.

Makers Moldex-Metric said: “It smacks of incompetence.”

Tour firms axed flights to Mexico as the Foreign Office warned against trips.

The US has confirmed 68 cases, Canada 13 and New Zealand 14.

This morning Germany confirmed three cases with others ill in Austria and Israel.

Egypt has even ordered the culling of ALL pigs in the Arab country as a precaution against swine flu, the country’s health minister said today.

A pandemic could see 25million here catch it in months.

Professor Neil Ferguson, of London’s Imperial College, said: “We might expect up to 40 per cent of the population to become ill.”

The World Health Organisation is holding a “scientific review" of the outbreak to collect what is known about how the disease spreads, how it affects human health and how it can be treated.

Remedy Corner . A place where you can get support.

2009-04-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

BACK TO HEALTH MINERALSCOMPLETE FLU DETOX

A formulation of specific minerals that have been used for over 10 years in successfully removing viruses, fungi and toxins from the cells of people infected with viruses. They are ‘Dietary Supplement’ minerals and do not contain any herbs or medication.

The detox can be used by all members of the family.

One pack is enough for a family of four to prevent winter colds and influenza, including swine flu, if you have been exposed. Remember, Resolve Swine Flu is not a vaccine, so you must constantly be mindful or whether you have been exposed. if you believe you have been epxosed, then take the preventative dose. Repeat the preventative dose whenever you think you have been re-exposed.

If you currently have the Swine Flu you will need 1 complete detox per person.
The rescue detox is taken as directed for 10 days.

If you believer that you have been exposed to the swine flu, take the (5) day dosing protocol.

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DON'T FEAR

2009-04-30T06:22:00.000-07:00

PREPARE NOW

Twenty Million people died with the last major flu epidemic

Be Prepared

With the world’s rapid transit system and mass movement of people it is only a matter of time before a catastrophic tragedy occurs from the emergence of a new or virulent virus. The most recent flu threat to us is the swine flu which is spreading rapidly.

Everyone is at risk!

Vaccinations are not the answer to prevent a virus.

The AIDS virus is an example of a virus for which a vaccine is of no use. It is presently devastating the population of north and central Africa. Unstoppable.

New and unpredictable viruses, either man-made or mutated, can wreak havoc for you and your family.

How do you prepare?

The human body has its own defense system to remove viruses which is controlled by the thymus gland.

If your immune system is blocked, your chance of survival from a viral attack is reduced considerably. A wide variety of things can block the immune system, such as injuries, childbirth, and anesthetics.

There is something you and your family can do to prevent and survive any viral attack.

The viral attack can be the flu, new viruses and many other known viruses such as SWINE FLU, SARS and BIRD FLU.

It doesn’t matter what age you are.

The detox must be followed.

You must have on standby our special blend of BACK TO HEALTH MINERALS that are 100% effective at “supporting your natural immune system in pushing out” all viruses. Common colds and flu will “be pushed out” in 48 hours if taken as recommended.

WORLD THREATS

The swine flu is a current world threat.

The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today,the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients. Internationally, the situation is more serious , with additional countries reporting confirmed cases of swine flu. In response to the intensifying outbreak, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 4. A Phase 4 alert is characterized by confirmed person-to-person spread of a new influenza virus able to cause “community-level” outbreaks.” The increase in the pandemic alert phase indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.

CDC has activated its emergency operations center to coordinate the agency’s emergency response. CDC’s 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 swine influenza virus. Yesterday, CDC issued a travel warning recommending that people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. CDC continues to issue interim guidance daily on the website and through health alert network notices.

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.

Various health department sources estimate that the number of deaths could be in the millions, accompanied by economic collapse and chaos in many countries, if a virulent virus should strike.

There has been obvious concern from businesses, especially those employing essential people to ensure critical services are provided.

Watch The latest Video what President Have to Say

2009-04-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

Prevention of transmission to humans

2009-04-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

Prevention of spread in humans

Influenza spreads between humans through coughing or sneezing and people touching something with the virus on it and then touching their own nose or mouth.Swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food.The swine flu in humans is most contagious during the first five days of the illness although some people, most commonly children, can remain contagious for up to ten days. Diagnosis can be made by sending a specimen, collected during the first five days, to the CDC for analysis.

Recommendations to prevent spread of the virus among humans include using standard infection control against influenza. This includes frequent washing of hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially after being out in public.Although the current trivalent influenza vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against the new 2009 H1N1 strain,vaccines against the new strain are being developed and could be ready as early as June 2009.

Experts agree that hand-washing can help prevent viral infections, including ordinary influenza and the new swine flu virus. Influenza can spread in coughs or sneezes, but an increasing body of evidence shows little particles of virus can linger on tabletops, telephones and other surfaces and be transferred via the fingers to the mouth, nose or eyes. Alcohol-based gel or foam hand sanitizers work well to destroy viruses and bacteria. Anyone with flu-like symptoms such as a sudden fever, cough or muscle aches should stay away from work or public transportation and should see a doctor to be tested.

Social distancing is another tactic. It means staying away from other people who might be infected and can include avoiding large gatherings, spreading out a little at work, or perhaps staying home and lying low if an infection is spreading in a community.

Prevention

2009-04-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

Prevention of swine influenza has three components: prevention in swine, prevention of transmission to humans, and prevention of its spread among humans.

Prevention in swine

Swine influenza has become a greater problem in recent decades as the evolution of the virus has resulted in inconsistent responses to traditional vaccines. Standard commercial swine flu vaccines are effective in controlling the infection when the virus strains match enough to have significant cross-protection, and custom (autogenous) vaccines made from the specific viruses isolated are created and used in the more difficult cases.[23][24]
Present vaccination strategies for SIV control and prevention in swine farms, typically include the use of one of several bivalent SIV vaccines commercially available in the United States. Of the 97 recent H3N2 isolates examined, only 41 isolates had strong serologic cross-reactions with antiserum to three commercial SIV vaccines. Since the protective ability of influenza vaccines depends primarily on the closeness of the match between the vaccine virus and the epidemic virus, the presence of nonreactive H3N2 SIV variants suggests that current commercial vaccines might not effectively protect pigs from infection with a majority of H3N2 viruses..

Signs and symptoms

2009-04-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in humans the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. The 2009 outbreak has shown an increased percentage of patients reporting diarrhea and vomiting.
Because these symptoms are not specific to swine flu, a differential diagnosis of probable swine flu requires not only symptoms but also a high likelihood of swine flu due to the person's recent history. For example, during the 2009 swine flu outbreak in the United States, CDC advised physicians to "consider swine influenza infection in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute febrile respiratory illness who have either been in contact with persons with confirmed swine flu, or who were in one of the five U.S. states that have reported swine flu cases or in Mexico during the 7 days preceding their illness onset." A diagnosis of confirmed swine flu requires laboratory testing of a respiratory sample (a simple nose and throat swab).

Classification

2009-04-30T05:46:00.001-07:00

SIV strains isolated to date have been classified either as Influenzavirus C or one of the various subtypes of the genus Influenzavirus A.
Influenza A
Swine influenza is known to be caused by influenza A subtypes H1N1, H1N2, H3N1,H3N2,and H2N3.
In swine, three influenza A virus subtypes (H1N1, H3N2, and H1N2) are circulating throughout the world. In the United States, the H1N1 subtype was exclusively prevalent among swine populations before 1998; however, since late August 1998, H3N2 subtypes have been isolated from pigs. As of 2004, H3N2 virus isolates in US swine and turkey stocks were triple reassortants, containing genes from human (HA, NA, and PB1), swine (NS, NP, and M), and avian (PB2 and PA) lineages.

Interaction with H5N1

Avian influenza virus H3N2 is endemic in pigs in China and has been detected in pigs in Vietnam, increasing fears of the emergence of new variant strains. Health experts[who?] say pigs can carry human influenza viruses, which can combine (i.e. exchange homologous genome sub-units by genetic reassortment) with H5N1, passing genes and mutating into a form which can pass easily among humans. H3N2 evolved from H2N2 by antigenic shift. In August 2004, researchers in China found H5N1 in pigs.
Nature magazine reported that Chairul Nidom, a virologist at Airlangga University's tropical disease center in Surabaya, East Java, conducted a survey of swine infections with H5N1 in 2005. He tested the blood of 10 apparently healthy pigs housed near poultry farms in West Java where avian flu had broken out. Five of the pig samples contained the H5N1 virus. The Indonesian government has since found similar results in the same region. Additional tests of 150 pigs outside the area were negative.

Classification

2009-04-30T05:46:00.000-07:00

SIV strains isolated to date have been classified either as Influenzavirus C or one of the various subtypes of the genus Influenzavirus A.
Influenza A
Swine influenza is known to be caused by influenza A subtypes H1N1,[10] H1N2,[10] H3N1,[11] H3N2,[10] and H2N3.[12]
In swine, three influenza A virus subtypes (H1N1, H3N2, and H1N2) are circulating throughout the world. In the United States, the H1N1 subtype was exclusively prevalent among swine populations before 1998; however, since late August 1998, H3N2 subtypes have been isolated from pigs. As of 2004, H3N2 virus isolates in US swine and turkey stocks were triple reassortants, containing genes from human (HA, NA, and PB1), swine (NS, NP, and M), and avian (PB2 and PA) lineages.

Interaction with H5N1

Avian influenza virus H3N2 is endemic in pigs in China and has been detected in pigs in Vietnam, increasing fears of the emergence of new variant strains. Health experts[who?] say pigs can carry human influenza viruses, which can combine (i.e. exchange homologous genome sub-units by genetic reassortment) with H5N1, passing genes and mutating into a form which can pass easily among humans. H3N2 evolved from H2N2 by antigenic shift. In August 2004, researchers in China found H5N1 in pigs.
Nature magazine reported that Chairul Nidom, a virologist at Airlangga University's tropical disease center in Surabaya, East Java, conducted a survey of swine infections with H5N1 in 2005. He tested the blood of 10 apparently healthy pigs housed near poultry farms in West Java where avian flu had broken out. Five of the pig samples contained the H5N1 virus. The Indonesian government has since found similar results in the same region. Additional tests of 150 pigs outside the area were negative.

Virulence

2009-04-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

Because the potential for a swine flu pandemic is now present, it is helpful to compare the current epidemic with those of earlier periods. The chart below gives figures for either worldwide or the U.S., depending on what figures were available. The most current swine flu epidemic figures are given last and will change constantly, hence the link is given to current data. It is significant that as of April 28, 2009, over 80% of cases and 100% of deaths have been in Mexico. A CNN article entitled "Why only deaths in Mexico?" highlights some questions currently confounding medical researchers.However on April 29, 2009 it was confirmed that a 23-month-old child from Texas was the first fatality from outside Mexico, raising fear that Swine flu could cause a pandemic.

Epidemics Year Infected Deaths Mortality % Death rate/1,000
(avail. data)

Spanish flu 1918-19 1 billion 30 million 3% 30
(worldwide)

Asian flu 1957 45 Million 70,000 16% 1.6
(U.S.)

Hong Kong flu 1968-69 50 million 33,000 .07% .7
(U.S.)

Avian flu 1990-today 421 257 61% 610
worldwide)

SARS 2002-03 8,096 774 9.6% 96
worldwide)

General flu Yearly average 50 million 36,000 .08% .8
(U.S.)[1]

Swine flu as of 4/29/2009[2] 273 153 2.6% 26
(worldwide)
"confirmed"

Background

2009-04-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

The swine flu is likely a descendant of the infamous "Spanish flu"[citation needed]that caused a devastating pandemic in humans in 1918–1919. In less than a year, that pandemic killed more an estimated 50 million people worldwide. Descendants of this virus have persisted in pigs; they probably circulated in humans until the appearance of the Asian flu in 1957, and reemerged in 1977.Direct transmission from pigs to humans is rare, with 12 cases in the U.S. since 2005.

The flu virus is perhaps the trickiest known to medical science; it constantly changes form to elude the protective antibodies that the body has developed in response to previous exposures to influenza or to influenza vaccines. Every two or three years the virus undergoes minor changes. Then, at intervals of roughly a decade, after the bulk of the world's population has developed some level of resistance to these minor changes, it undergoes a major shift that enables it to tear off on yet another pandemic sweep around the world, infecting hundreds of millions of people who suddenly find their antibody defenses outflanked.Even during the Spanish flu pandemic, the initial wave of the disease was relatively mild and the second wave was highly lethal.

In 1957, an Asian flu pandemic infected some 45 million Americans and killed 70,000. Eleven years later, lasting from 1968 to 1969, the Hong Kong flu pandemic afflicted 50 million Americans and caused 33,000 deaths, costing approximately $3.9 billion. In 1976, about 500 soldiers became infected with swine flu over a period of a few weeks. However, by the end of the month investigators found that the virus had "mysteriously disappeared" and there were no more signs of swine flu anywhere on the post. There were isolated cases around the U.S. but those cases were supposedly to individuals who caught the virus from pigs.

Medical researchers worldwide, recognizing that the swine flu virus might again mutate into something as deadly as the Spanish flu, were carefully watching the latest 2009 outbreak of swine flu and making contingency plans for a possible global pandemic.

What is Swin Flu ?

2009-04-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

Swine influenza (also swine flu) refers to influenza caused by any strain of the influenza virus endemic in pigs (swine). Strains endemic in swine are called swine influenza virus (SIV).

Swine flu is common in swine and rare in humans. People who work with swine, especially people with intense exposures, are at risk of catching swine influenza if the swine carry a strain able to infect humans. However, these strains rarely are able to pass from human to human. Rarely, SIV mutates into a form able to pass easily from human to human. The strain responsible for the 2009 swine flu outbreak is believed to have undergone such a mutation.This virus is named swine flu because one of its surface proteins is similar to viruses that usually infects pigs, but this strain is spreading in people and it is unknown if it infects pigs.

In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. The strain responsible for the 2009 swine flu outbreak in most cases causes only mild symptoms and the infected person makes a full recovery without requiring medical attention and without the use of antiviral medicines.

Of the three genera of human flu, two are endemic also in swine: Influenzavirus A (common) and Influenzavirus C (rare).Influenzavirus B has not been reported in swine. Within Influenzavirus A and Influenzavirus C, the strains endemic to swine and humans are largely distinct.