Swine Flu:News
Swine flu cases cross 3,000 mark
New Delhi: Swine flu cases in the country on Tuesday crossed the 3,000-mark with 186 more people, including 41 in the national capital, testing positive for the disease.
With the fresh cases, the total number of cases rose to 3,095.
While Delhi reported 41 cases, Maharashtra had 34 fresh cases followed by Karnataka (29), Gujarat (23), Kerala (16), Tamil Nadu (12), Uttar Pradesh (9), West Bengal (4), Assam (2), Chandigarh (1); Haryana (1), Chhattisgarh (1) and Madhya Pradesh (1).
Of the 186 new cases reported during the day, nine have a travel history of visits abroad while the rest are indigenous cases.
Uttar Pradesh had reported 49 new Lab confirmed cases on August 24 from samples collected from 8-17 August 2009.
Are swine flu symptoms different from normal human flu?
They are similar. Swine flu is more likely to include diarrhea and vomiting, as well as the respiratory symptoms that come with typical seasonal human flu. Symptoms include:
- Chills
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Fever (greater than 100Β°F or 37.8Β°C)
- Headache and body aches
- Sore throat
- Stuffy nose
What medications are there?
There is Tamiflu or Relenza - both have shown to be effective against these recently reported strains of swine flu. There are four anti-viral drugs altogether that are commonly used to treat various strains of flu.
Do these medicines prevent me from catching swine flu?
That is not currently advised. Preventative medication might be advisable for very special circumstances where a person had to expose themselves to potentially ill people during an epidemic (which we do not yet have here). Such people might include ER workers. An outbreak in a nursing home, for instance, might lead to protecting all the other residents with a drug like TamiFlu.
As theAs the coverage time is limited, the preventative use of anti-viral medications is not advised for the general public.Do not confuse OTC (over-the-counter) cold and flu preparations for anti-flu medications that you can only get with a prescription.
How would I know I had swine flu if I had some symptoms?
You wouldn't, neither would your doctor. A respiratory specimen would have to be taken within the first four to five days. The specimen would be sent to a lab, which in the USA would be a CDC lab.
Authorities and experts still do not know why symptoms have been worse in Mexico than in the USA, Canada and other countries.
The important point is to call your doctor if you think you have the flu. Prescription anti-viral drugs such as TamiFlu or Relenza can be called in by your doctor. Unless you are:
- exceptionally ill with flu-like symptoms
- chronically ill
- immune-suppressed
- quite elderly
- or have a very young child, under age 2
It is best not to report to a hospital, as you could risk spreading the disease. Call your doctor and do what he tells you.
How long are infected people contagious?
An adult is usually contagious as long as they have symptoms - usually up to seven days following the beginning of the illness. The "shedding stage" of the virus is during the first 4-5 days of illness. Children can be considered contagious longer, up to 10 days. The initial incubation period is 24-48 hours.
Are there any swine flu vaccines?
An adult is usually contagious as long as they have symptoms - usually up to seven days following the beginning of the illness. The "shedding stage" of the virus is during the first 4-5 days of illness. Children can be considered contagious longer, up to 10 days. The initial incubation period is 24-48 hours.>
Not currently. Authorities, such as the CDC in the USA are considering adding the current swine flu strain to next year's vaccine.
If I took the swine flu vaccine in the swine flu scare during the 70s, would that protect me now? Will this year's flu shot offer me any additional protection?
Nobody knows whether protection may be full, partial, or not at all. The current swine flu strain also has avian flu components. The avian flu component is not from the deadly bird flu strain.
Can I catch it from pigs?
No, you can only catch this strain from other humans. It is a mutated pig virus.
How does it cross from a pig to a human?
The swine virus mutates so that it can infect humans and be spread by humans.
Can I catch it from eating pork meat and pork products?
No. Swine flu is not transmitted by the food you consume - it is not a foodborne illness. All pork food products are safe to consume - as long as they are prepared properly. The virus dies at 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Swine flu is transmitted in the same way normal flu is - through airborne droplets form a sick person's cough or sneeze
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