Mexican flu outbreak

[jackass]

• What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory illness caused by a type A influenza virus, usually of the subtype H1N1, that triggers outbreaks in pigs fairly regularly. It can also be transferred from pigs to humans, from humans to pigs, and from humans to other humans.
Four main virus subtypes – H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H3N1 – have been isolated in pigs, though the virus, like all influenza viruses, constantly mutates. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can trade genes to create new versions that mix swine, human and/or avian influenza.
The swine H1N1 virus is not the same as the human H1N1 virus, so vaccines for the latter won't protect from the former.


• Can humans catch swine flu?
Yes, but it is not common. Usually, this happens to people who are in contact with pigs, though there are some documented cases of human-to-human transfer. Human-to-human transmission is believed to occur much like the regular flu, through coughing, sneezing and other contact. Eating pork does not transmit the virus. The symptoms resemble those of the regular flu virus.


• How can swine flu be diagnosed and treated?
Diagnosing requires a respiratory specimen taken during the first four or five days of infection, to be analyzed in a lab. The virus seems to respond to antiviral drugs, including those Canadian health authorities have been stockpiling in case of a flu pandemic.


• When has it happened before?
The best-known case of swine flu is a 1976 outbreak at an army barracks in Fort Dix, N.J., which sickened four soldiers and killed one. There have been no major outbreaks of swine flu recorded in Canada.


• How is swine flu H1N1 virus different from SARS and avian flu H5N1 virus?
All three come from animals, but SARS, a corona virus, and the avian flu are poorly adapted to infecting humans. As a result, it is fairly difficult for humans to catch either virus or pass them on to others, though the effects can prove deadly when infection occurs.

Source: http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/624336

[Plank]

Well, until the death toll reaches the 1000s, and it actually spreads several other countries, including the UK (rather than 'suspected' cases), I'm just going to put this one down to media hype and scaremongering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Flu If it turns out to be like the 1918 flu pandemic, where over 20 million people died, I'll eat my words crap

[Frodo13.]

I'm not worried. We did the same thing over Bird Flu and that amounted to nothing, and so will this most probably.

[Technologic]

I'm not worried. We did the same thing over Bird Flu and that amounted to nothing, and so will this most probably.

Bird Flu is caught through contact with infected animals, Swine flu is being passed on human to human.

[Hiro]

Uk already have it? lol a BA airline host is in hosiptal for it..

Also its a mix betwwen birdflu and other flu's :S

North American avian flu, human flu H1N1, American Swine flu and Europe and Asia swine flu.

[Hiro]

The WHO stated that the viruses obtained from the human cases with swine influenza in the United States were sensitive to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) but resistant to amantadine and remantadine. So yes, there is probably going to be a cure once they've done enough lab tests.

And the BA cabin crew member, did not have Swine Flu.

[jackass]

I'm not worried. We did the same thing over Bird Flu and that amounted to nothing, and so will this most probably.

Yeah, like Technologic said, Bird flu never mutated, so it couldn't be passed human to human, only from contact with infected animals. But with this Swine flu, it can be passed from human to human, and that is definitely NOT good.

[Plank]

Thousands die from flu every year? I mean, in 1999/2000, about 22,000 people died from flu in the UK. So, until that 81 figure starts increasing very rapidly, I'm not concerned.

[efq]

Well, until the death toll reaches the 1000s, and it actually spreads several other countries, including the UK (rather than 'suspected' cases), I'm just going to put this one down to media hype and scaremongering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Flu If it turns out to be like the 1918 flu pandemic, where over 20 million people died, I'll eat my words crap

20 to 100 million died. Estimates were 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 were killed then. That took 2 years. So this flu virus could keep going on for a few years.
Yeah, there may be a cure, but if it gets into big numbers, don't count on the government to pay for everyones vaccines because they won't.

[Hazza]

I only care when its been found in the UK.