Swine Flu Is Your Family Protected?

Swine influenza (also swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu refers to influenza caused by any strain of the influenza virus in (swine).

What is Influenza?
The influenza virus is a contagious respiratory illness. It can cause mild to severe sickness and in rare instances can lead to death. While most healthy people recover from the flu without complications, some people, such as older people, young children and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious complications from the flu.

What is Swine Flu?
Swine flu is caused by the influenza virus and there have been frequent outbreaks of swine flu amongst pigs, where the disease has resulted in a high rate of infection. Recently, a new strain of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus has developed that is much more easily transmissible between humans. Confirmed first in Mexico, swine flu is spreading rapidly around the world, with the World Health Organisation warning options are limited to contain the spread of the virus.

There are many different variations of Swine Flu as the virus is constantly evolving. In the 20th century, there have been 3 recorded pandemics of influenza causing fatalities worldwide. These pandemics were the result of new strain of the virus developing. The current strain of swine flu reported in April 2009 is a new strain of the virus never previously seen before, causing a great level of concern for individuals nearby infected areas.

Be Aware of Flu Symptoms
The flu usually starts suddenly and may include the following symptoms:

1---Headache
2---Tiredness (can be extreme)
3---Cough
4---Sore throat
5---Runny or stuffy nose
6---Body aches
7---Diarrhoea and vomiting also can occur but are more common in children.

These symptoms are referred to as "flu-like symptoms." A lot of different illnesses, including the common cold, can have similar symptoms.

Know the Risk from the Flu
Some of the complications caused by the flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children and adults may develop sinus problems and ear infections.

Antiviral Medications
Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu are approved for treatment of the flu.

Comments

India's swine flu death rate is increasing

Friday, August 14, 2009 MUMBAI: A 26-year-old woman died Thursday of H1N1 swine flu in the southern city of Bangalore, raising India's death toll from the virus to 20, authorities said.The death was the first reported in India's information technology capital, the Press Trust of India reported.Meanwhile in Pune, the worst-affected in India, two more victims of the virus died Thursday, raising the death toll in that western city near Mumbai to 12, the report said. The victims were an 11-month-old boy and a 75-year-old old woman.US media reported movie halls, schools and colleges were ordered closed Thursday for three days to a week in Mumbai, the commercial and financial capital of the country, as fear of the pandemic spread.Prajakata Lavangare, a spokeswoman for the government of Maharashtra state of which Mumbai is the capital, said similar orders were issued in Pune, which is also located in the state.The woman who died in Bangalore was identified only as Roopa, a teacher in...

Snake bite deaths

Monday, July 06, 2009 COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government recorded some 33,000 snake bites in 2008, with most of the victims coming from remote villages.The Department of Government Information said in a statement that most of the snake bite cases could be fatal if neglected.The statement said snake bites are often neglected in Sri Lanka as victims do not seek treatment at hospitals where advanced medication is available. Instead, the victims rush to traditional type of treatment which could be a risk, reports Xinhua.Snake bites death at domestic level, outside hospitals, go unrecorded, said the statement.Most victims of snake bite are from the rural and remote villages where there is no electricity after dusk.Statistics show that Sri Lanka has over 90 species of snake with around 10 species possessing venom capable of killing a human being.In Sri Lanka the annual death rate due to snake bite envenoming is one of the highest in the world being 6 in 100,000 population.

Suicide bombings kill 18 in Iraq

Thursday, August 13, 2009 MOSUL: At least 18 people, most of them members of the ancient Yazidi religious sect, were killed when two suicide bombers blew themselves up on Thursday in a packed cafe in northern Iraq, a local government official said.At least 31 people were also wounded after the bombers detonated suicide belts packed with explosives in the cafe in Kalaa town, in the district of Sanjar, local district chief Dakheel Qassem Hasoon, told a foreign news agency."Two suicide bombers entered the Cafe Barbaroz at 4:30 pm (1330 GMT) and blew themselves up, killing 18 civilians and wounding 31. Most of the victims were Yazidis," Hasoon said.Kalaa, northwest of the insurgent stronghold of Mosul in northern Nineveh province is predominantly populated by the minority Yazidi religious sect, as well as Arabs and Kurds.The attack is the deadliest since Monday, when 51 people were killed across Iraq, including 28 members of the tiny Shabak sect cut down when two truck bombs det...

ONE NEWS

Search This Blog