Swine Flu is now spreading rapidly across the country but WHO officially declared that Swine Flu pandemic is over. Swine Flu claimed 1850 lives in India in the last 15 months. Death rate is high in Orissa and Gujarat. It reached 30% in Orissa and 20% in Gujarat which is very high. Swine Flu Deathrate is less than 5% in many developed countries due to increase in awareness and better healthcare facilities. In India, Swine Flu death is around 10% in most sates. Common Swine Flu symptoms: Fever, Cold (running nose), Cough and pain. Most common cause of death: Delay in taking proper treatment. 10% Swine Flu deaths occurred in India. 20% of Swine Flu deaths in India were reported from Pune. Vaccination: Swine Flu vaccine does not cause Swine Flu. Common side effects are slight fever; cold and cough which are commonly seen side-effects from any vaccine. They should subside within 2-3 days of vaccination. If not, consult physician. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah tested negative for Swine Flu. 25 new Swine Flu cases were reported in the state in the last 3 days. 340 people tested positive for Swine Flu in the state while 28 people died. Orissa: 7 people died from Swine Flu in the state in the last 10 days but 3 people died in the last 1 day which created panic in the backward state. Bhubaneswar is in panic as four people tested positive out of 10 tested. Among the victims are Assistant commercial tax commissioner and the wife of Bargarh BJP president. Pune: 335 people died in the last 14 months. City reported 5 Swine Fu deaths in the last 3 days. Delhi: 260 Swine Flu cases were detected in the city this season. Lucknow is reporting new cases. Punjab reported first Swine Flu death from Amritsar. Gujarat: 85 Swine Flu cases were reported in this season. Surat city reported 5 deaths so far while State reported 18 deaths. … [Read more...]
Swine flu: truth behind a terror
Swine flu: truth behind a terror: Swine flu (swine influenza) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus (subtype H1N1) that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Influenza viruses are small RNA viruses that infect many mammals, including humans, birds, and swine. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930. The virus was a novel strain of influenza which contained genes from five different flu viruses. Before 2009, swine influenza predominately affected swine and was not transmitted often or easily to people. Even in the isolated instances in which swine influenza infected people, it had very limited ability to spread from person to person. Most cases were directly linked to contact with swine through farming or at fairs. But the current "swine flu" outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs. How does swine flu spread? Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people. Swine influenza (novel H1N1) spreads from person to person, either by inhaling the virus or touching surfaces contaminated with the virus, then touching the mouth or nose. Infected droplets are expelled into the air through coughing or sneezing. Early information suggests that swine influenza is about as contagious as the usual human influenza. If one person in a household gets swine flu, from 8%-19% of household contacts will get infected. Reports suggest that swine influenza is causing slightly more infections than would be normal for an influenza season. Based on its wide spread, the World Health Organization has declared the 2009 outbreak of the new H1N1 flu a global pandemic. People at higher risk: People at higher risk of serious complications include: • Young children, especially those under 12 months of age • Elderly people are at high risk of severe flu disease. But relatively few swine flu cases have been seen in people over age 65. • Pregnant women. • People with cardiovascular conditions (except high blood pressure) • People with liver problems • People with kidney problems • People with blood disorders, including sickle cell disease • People with neurologic disorders • People with neuromuscular disorders • People with metabolic disorders, including diabetes • People with immune suppression, including HIV infection and medications that suppress the immune system, such as cancer chemotherapy or anti-rejection drugs for transplants • Residents of a nursing home or other chronic-care facility People in these groups should seek medical care as soon as they get flu symptoms. Symptoms and signs of swine flu: Symptoms of swine flu are like regular flu symptoms and includes- - Fever - Cough - Sore throat - Runny nose - Body aches, fatigue - Pain in the muscles or joints - Headache - Chills - Many people with swine flu have had diarrhea and vomiting. - 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. Symptoms include seizures or changes in mental status (confusion or sudden cognitive or behavioral changes). Nearly everyone with flu has at least two of these symptoms. But these symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions. So it can’t be diagnosed only on the basis of symptoms. Only lab tests can definitively show whether you've got swine flu, although a negative result doesn't necessarily mean you don't have the flu. Emergency warning signs - As with the seasonal flu, certain symptoms may have required emergency medical attention. Children should be given urgent medical attention if they: • Have fast breathing or trouble … [Read more...]
Swine flu: Symptoms and Facts
Swine flu has become a household name recently and is more familiar than any cine actor or actress. But the difference is, it is known and spoken with fear and anxiety. Swine flu is scientifically called the H1N1 virus. It is an imported virus and differs from the seasonal influenza in many ways- the most obvious being; there is not yet a medicine for curing swine flu, at least in the medicinal records. Swine flu spreads from one person to another in the same way a seasonal flu spreads. The symptoms are also more or less similar to the former, such as coughing and sneezing. But swine flu is different, in the sense, it may get infected when people happen to come into contact with something that has virus on it and then, touch their nose or mouth. Swine flu can be identified when some one suffers from fever, cough, sore throat, body ache, chills, fatigue and headache. Occasionally, in some people, diarrhea and nausea may occur. In worse situations, heart and lung diseases may also show up. But, as in every other thing, there are some preventive measures for safeguarding against swine flu. When a person infected with swine flu coughs or sneezes, he or she must necessarily cover the nose and mouth with a tissue and dispose the tissue, immediately. It is very important to wash the hands with soap and water or better still, with alcohol based hand cleaners, after cough or sneeze. It is better to avoid touching the eyes or nose or mouth, lest the germs spread. To diagnose swine flu infection, respiratory specimen has to be sent to the lab within four to five days of getting infected. Children may usually shed virus for ten days or longer. Studies reveal that swine flu shows its symptoms and develops the illness even after a week. Therefore, it is advisable to monitor a person who is suspected of infected with swine flu virus. The best thing to do is to consult a doctor immediately and stay away from work or school. Such persons should also have some social responsibility, of not generously donating the virus to others and avoiding going out. Recent news states that there have been quite a significant number of people who have fully recovered from swine flu by strictly following the instructions given by doctors along with antiviral medications. Author: Chandra Sowrirajan, Chennai … [Read more...]
Swine Flu: Symptoms, precautions and treatment
What is Swine flu? Swine is the biological name that refers to pigs. Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses (H1N1 subtype) that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. Swine influenza is a common viral infection that affects pigs all over the world. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Symptoms in pigs: Swine flu causes fever and severe weight loss along with breathing problems in pigs. Though the flu is deemed to be severe, it rarely results in the death of the pigs. In most of the cases when the affected pig is pregnant, it results in the death of the baby pigs. This flu is also known as H1N1 flu. The flu has a very high proficiency of spreading quickly and in large numbers. Swine Flu Symptoms in humans: The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu that include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhoea and vomiting associated with swine flu. It can also result in sudden weight loss, dry coughing, pain in the muscles and joints and frequent dizziness as a result of weakness of the body. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions Swine flu in pigs: Once a pig is affected by the disease, it easily transmits the disease causing virus to the other pigs. The most common is through direct contact with the healthy ones by touching each others' noses. This along with sneezing or coughing directly spreads the virus through the atmosphere. Swine flu in humans: There have been only a few occurrences of the original swine flu since the past century. The virus responsible for this pandemic disease is a result of a mixture of strands of the normal swine virus, human influenza virus and avian influenza virus. Spread of this particular strain of swine influenza A (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 of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. It is rumored that it spreads through consumption of pork. Scientists and researchers have confirmed that the probability of such occurrences is minimal. Swine Flu Precautions: The WHO had released a worldwide alert on the spread of the disease and also directed the countries to take the necessary measures to prevent it from spreading further. One can prevent getting infected by taking the following measures: - Avoid touching your mouth and nose; - Clean hands thoroughly with soap and water, or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub on a regular basis (especially if touching the mouth and nose, or surfaces that are potentially contaminated); - Avoid close contact with people who might be ill. Try to maintain a distance of about 1 meter if possible - Reduce the time spent in crowded settings if possible; - Improve airflow in your living space by opening windows; - Practice good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active - If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. - Do not go to work; stay at home or in your hotel room. - Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. - Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a mask. - A person should seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or if a fever continues more than three days. Common Queries on Swine Flu: 1) What is WHO stands on using a mask? If you are not sick you do not have to wear a mask. If you are caring for a sick person, you can wear a mask when you are in close contact with the ill person and dispose of it immediately after contact, and cleanse your hands thoroughly afterwards. 2) Should I go to work if I have the flu but am feeling OK? No. Whether you have influenza A (H1N1) or a seasonal influenza, you should stay home and away from work through the duration of your symptoms. This is a precaution that can protect your work colleagues and others. 3) Can I travel? If you are feeling unwell or have symptoms of influenza, you should not travel. If you have any doubts about your health, you should check with your health … [Read more...]
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