As the United States reels from reportedly millions of Swine Flu cases, and more than 1000 deaths, U.S. President – Barack Obama – has declared swine flu a national emergency. This emergency declaration allows medical officials to temporarily bypass certain federal requirements in order to prevent the country’s health-care resources from being overburdened. It also gives the United States’ health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms off site in order to speed up treatment and protect non-infected patients.

The declaration of this national swine flu emergency, was done on Friday night (October 23), and comes just days after U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned that swine flu vaccine demand was outstripping supply. As Americans wait for more vaccine doses, 46 of the 50 U.S. states have reported an early flu upsurge. The flu season typically peaks in January or February.

Swine flu is now more prevalent than ever before in the U.S., and production delays have undercut the Government’s initial somewhat optimistic estimates that as many as 120,000,000 swine flu vaccine doses would be available by the middle of this month.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, so far, only 11,000,000 swine flu vaccine doses have gone out to doctors’ offices, health departments and health care providers across the U.S.

The World Health Organisation announced yesterday, that 5,000 people have died from swine flu infections since the A (H1N1) virus was uncovered in April of this year.

In its latest update on the flu pandemic, the UN health agency said that most of the fatal cases – 3,539 of them -were recorded in North and South America. Notably, Trinidad and Tobago, Iceland and Sudan  reported their first fatal cases over the past week. Rwanda, Mongolia, and Sao Tome & Principe also recorded swine flu cases for the first time, as the virus continued its rapid global spread.

Notably also though, the A (H1N1) influenza incidents are declining in tropical areas of the world – with the exception of Cuba and Colombia. The World Health Organisation also said that there was no significant pandemic related activity over the past week in the temperate areas of the southern hemisphere.

How does the common cold affect your body? The common cold is best described as a viral infectious disease that infects the body’s upper respiratory system. The common cold is also known as ‘acute viral rhinopharyngitis’, or ‘acute coryza’. The common cold is the most popular infectious disease in humans, and it is largely caused by coronaviruses or rhinoviruses. The main difference between the common cold virus and the Swine Flu virus is that while both will penetrate and infect cells, the Swine Flu virus actually infects cells deeper in the lungs than does the common cold virus.

The human body can never build up resistance to all the viruses that can cause the common cold. This is why colds are so common and recurring. Did you know that the typical kindergarten child gets an average of 12 colds per year? Compare that to adolescents and adults who catch about seven per year. Have you ever considered the use of fresh ginger in the common cold? Ginger is said to be an excellent home remedy for colds and coughs. Try this – cut ten grams of ginger into small pieces, then and boil them in the equivalent of a cup of water. Strain it then add half a teaspoon of sugar and drink while very hot. Do this twice daily – it may just work for you.

Looking for other common cold and flu treatments? A host of options await, but here are some key tips to help you AVOID getting the cold or flu in the first place: 1) Avoid close contact with someone who has a cold or the flu. 2) Eat lots of vitamin-rich vegetables and fruit regularly in order to help keep your immune system strong. 3) Wash your hands regularly – cold and flu viruses can be transmitted from one person to another by touch. 4) Keep surfaces in your home clean – particularly in the kitchen and bathroom. 5) Avoid touching your face – especially your nose and mouth.