Swine Flu Fact

This greatest epidemic in memory is the Spanish flu in 1918 that infected 40% of the world’s population and killed nearly 50 million people. This was just on the onset of fast mass transportation, flight, and our understanding of viral infections.

Previous epidemics in 1976 did not kill nearly as many or infect as many, less then ten recorded deaths. Twenty five people died from the widespread use of the vaccine that caused complications in many of its recipients. Epidemics are a natural part of life, they come and go. Our scientists are hard at work to defeat this current epidemic and will not rest until they have conquered this new challenge.

This disease is not so different from the regular flu season, which I will remind you is fast approaching, and should not be forgotten in this haze of panic. Remember that the ordinary flu kills people every year with great regularity, but we do not surrender to its panic. Protect yourself, practice good hygiene and go forth in your lives without the grip of fear. Wheels are already set in motion that prevent and defeat the infection worldwide; our leaders have not forgotten the epidemics of the previous century.

Stay home, not only will you no longer put others at risk of being infected, you also increase your own chances of survival and recovery by allowing your body to rest. Even after you are cured it will take seven days before you are no longer contagious to others. Children will take longer to become no longer contagious. Contact your health care provider and inform them of your condition, they will tell you whether or not you need further care. Treatment is most effective if received within two days of being infected.

The Swine Influenza virus began circulating in Mexico, which is also where the most deaths have occurred. To this point Mexican officials have said that 149 deaths have resulted from Swine flu causes. Over 1,300 people have been admitted to hospitals in Mexico for fear of the Swine Flu. Many cases have been reported in the exceptionally large densely populated Mexico City. There the Mexican military has passed out four million face filter masks that have been proven to slow and prevent the transfer of the disease; Mexico City has a population of twenty million residents.

Mexico City has been dealing the infection for weeks longer than any other country, but its emergency response programs are known to be less effective than those of first world nations, also overcrowding is known to help the spread of the virus. Recently Mexico City has closed its schools to prevent further infection, and the streets of the city have been deserted on many nights. These are signs of what awaits other countries in which the Swine Flu spreads. Great panic has resulted from the fact that many of the deaths in Mexico have been young adults who would usually shrug off the virus quickly; it is likely that these people had underlying conditions that quickened their demise.

A contagious virus is a threat to the entire world community. People infected with the Swine Flu virus have been confirmed in the following countries:

• Mexico
• Canada
• United States
• Spain
• New Zealand

Canada and other countries have begun screening airline passengers from Mexico and the United States for the Swine Influenza Virus. People returning from vacation in Mexico are being screened for the virus as they arrive home or on the planes. Russia, China, and Thailand have stopped receiving American and Mexican pork products despite the fact that it is proven that you cannot receive the virus from well cooked pork meat. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, stated earlier in the Swine Flu epidemic that “We are now more prepared then ever to meet this threat.”

The UN is addressing the threat worldwide as you are reading this text. The World Health Organization held its second meeting on the 27^th of April to discuss data from the Swine Flu Scare. Their conclusions have been not to close borders, nor to impose travel restrictions on infected areas. If the spread increases in pace it is possible that they will impose quarantines on infected areas to prevent more people from become infected. Currently there are 64 cases of the disease in America with no deaths and an expected 149 deaths already occurred in Mexico (Data on Mexican deaths and infections may be unreliable, or unreported).

The Swine Influenza Virus has a mortality rate of less then 10% among humans. The most likely to suffer death from the virus are the very young and the extremely old that lack the hearty immune systems to fight off the infection. The Swine Flue vaccine is not effective because it is a rapidly mutating wild virus and vaccines on hand are not similar enough to the circulating infection for a human body to recognize that it has encountered the virus before. It is possible that a vaccine may be created later. The virus is treatable by anti viral drugs that stop the virus from reproducing inside a human body.

Many strains are resistant to some anti viral drugs but none have surfaced yet that are immune to all. The greatest fear is that as the virus continues to travel between hosts, picking up new DNA and mutating further, that it will become resistant to all forms of medication. This fear is particularly persistent due to people who take anti viral drugs irresponsibly, not using up the entire prescribed medication because they quickly feel better, or taking the medication not as directed by their doctor.

As the epidemic continues to develop it is likely that the virus will continue to become more resistant. The most successful way for protecting yourself is to follow the precautions listed here. The Swine flu is known to worsen underlying conditions in people who become infected, so if you are struggling with a cold, whooping cough or other health problem expect it to get worse after you have been infected.

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 that way. The Swine Influenza virus spreads mainly through infected body fluids being inhaled by a non-infected person. Contact with the mucus membranes where the barrier of the skin is not as thick will also increase chances of being infected.

The Swine Flu is normally contained to animals, and has regular outbreaks in pigs, original cases started with people in close contact with pigs and pig materials. Only after the Swine Flu virus has infected one or more human beings in contact with pigs does it begin to mutate and become the Swine Influenza Virus A (H1N1), which is directly transmittable between human hosts in the ways previously mentioned.

The Swine flu’s early stages of infection have symptoms of, Abnormal breathing fast or slow, sluggishness, sleepiness, irritability, fever, rash, coughing, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, chill, headache. Bluish skin and unresponsiveness are signs for immediate medical attention.

Swine flu can be transferred three ways; either from direct contact with pigs infected with the virus, from a person who has already been infected by the Swine Influenza virus, or through contact with inert materials that contain Swine Flu particles. (I.E. dirt trampled by pigs, pig waste, tissues used by an infected person).

Swine Flu has become a source of major panic and discontent recently. The Swine Influenza virus is a quickly spreading disease that moves through the respiratory tract in humans. The Swine Flu pandemic has recently reached stage four of the WHO’s (World Health Organization) 6 phase epidemic alert system. Between the years of 2005-January 2009 the Swine Flu virus has had 12 recorded cases in the United States, none of which have lead to deaths.

Discover more at the official WHO website, at

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html