Influenza A (H1N1) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus that is easily spread from person-to-person.

HOW DO PEOPLE GET INFLUENZA A (H1N1)?
A person can get influenza A (H1N1) by:

• Breathing in the virus when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• Contact with objects that have been recently touched by an infected person, such as a door knob or a telephone.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF INFLUENZA A (HIN1)?

• Fever
• Headache
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny and stuffy nose
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (these symptoms may also occur, but are more common in children).

CAN INFLUENZA A (H1N1) BE PREVENTED?
To prevent the spread of H1N1:

• Wash hands regularly with soap and water.
• Use paper towel (tissue) to cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
• Dispose of used tissue in the garbage IMMEDIATELY.
• Avoid close contact with persons exhibiting flu-like symptoms, such as handshaking, hugging or kissing.
• If you are sick, stay home until you are well. If you have severe flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor IMMEDIATELY.

If you have traveled to or come into contact with someone from affected countries such as Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom or the United States, and have flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor or nearest health center immediately.

Less than 48 hours after they learned that they both had the swine flu virus, Ilana Jackson and Jeremy Fierstien wore surgical masks and latex gloves and were married before a group of family and friends.

They decided to go ahead with the ceremony last week Friday (June 19) after doctors assured them that their guests wouldn’t be at serious risk. To be safe however, the couple kept a 10-foot distance from family and friends at all times, even walking around the gathering instead of down the aisle.

Ironically, prior to the swine flu diagnosis, they had joked about swine flu after both experienced vomiting, achy limbs and fever – however they never really thought that they had it.

We all watched the news, curiously following the constant newscasts that detailed the progress of this seemingly deadly case of the ‘swine flu’…the now unpopular name, (Swine Flu) has been revoked and H1N1 is now fittingly the name of a strain of influenza that has taken lives and continue to spread…so much so that it caused numerous schools and businesses in Mexico and parts of the United States to be closed down as preventative measures to contain the illness were put in place.

Below we’ll explore different aspects of health for humans and animals. As the H1N1 virus continues to hold our attention, we want to remind you of the ways in which they can try to be safe.

Prevention of Human to Human Swine Flu Transmission
Influenza spreads between humans through coughing or sneezing and people touching something with the virus on it and then touching their own nose or mouth.

H1N1 cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food. The H1N1 in humans is most contagious during the first five days of the illness although some people, most commonly children, can remain contagious for up to ten days.

Diagnosis can be made by sending a specimen, collected during the first five days for analysis.

Recommendations to Prevent Spread of the Virus Among Humans Include:

• Using standard infection control against influenza. This includes frequent washing of hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially after being out in the public.
• Disinfecting household surfaces, this can be done effectively with a diluted chlorine bleach solution. Although the current trivalent influenza vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against the new 2009 H1N1 strain, vaccines against the new strain are being developed and should be ready soon.
• Anyone with flu-like symptoms such as sudden fever, cough or muscle aches should stay away from work or public transportation and should contact a doctor to be tested.
• Social distancing is another tactic. It means staying away from other people who might be infected and can include avoiding large gatherings, spreading out a little at work, or perhaps staying home and lying low if an infection is spreading in a community. Public health and other responsible authorities have action plans which may request or require social distancing actions depending on the severity of the outbreak.

With Swine Flu confirmed as an official pandemic, the race is now on among drug companies to produce a Swine Flu vaccine.

GlaxoSmithKline said recently that it would be ready to begin large-scale vaccine production within a few weeks. Sanofi-Aventis also said recently that it had started working on its own version.

Meanwhile, Swiss pharma giant Novartis announced on Friday (June 12) that it had created an experimental vaccine that has not been tested in people. Novartis’ vaccine was reportedly made via a cell-based technology that may prove faster than the traditional way of making vaccines (i.e. through the use of chicken eggs).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that approximately 2.4 billion does of pandemic vaccine could be available in about a year.

As a means of preventing the spread of the deadly Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu virus, the Roman Catholic Church in the island nation of Dominica has taken the extreme step of banning handshakes among its worshipers. Dominica recorded its first case of the deadly flu virus just last week.

Bishop of Roseau Gabriel Malzaire has said that the church has adopted a number of measures (with immediate effect) in order to help lessen physical contact between members of the public. As a result he said, communion would now only be distributed “on the spices of the consecrated bread” and that “during the sign of peace, instead of shaking hands, kissing or embracing, you are encouraged to nod your head to the person to whom the sign of peace is given“.

The Church said it would also suspend other long-standing traditions such as drinking wine from the chalice, and giving communion on the tongue. It said it was also praying for those suffering from the Swine Flu virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has now declared a swine flu pandemic. WHO chief Dr Margaret Chan made the announcement after the UN agency held an emergency meeting with flu experts. It’s the first global flu epidemic in 41 years, as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere have climbed to nearly 30,000 cases at this time.

The long-expected pandemic announcement is simply scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly covering the globe. WHO will now ask drug-makers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine, which it hopes will be available after September. The pandemic declaration will also prompt governments worldwide to devote more money toward efforts to contain the Swine Flu virus.

“The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century,” said Chan to reporters. “The virus is now unstoppable. However, we do not expect to see a sudden and dramatic jump in the number of severe and fatal infections.” she added.

The swine flu virus has claimed its first Caribbean victim, a pregnant Dominican Republic teenager who also had tuberculosis. She died yesterday. Dominican Republic officials did not have extensive details to provide but issued a brief statement.

As of yesterday, the Dominican Republic has 44 confirmed swine flu cases, and officials have said the vast majority of patients do not require hospitalization. The disease has spread to 69 countries, and within the Caribbean, Barbados, Cuba, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are among the countries that have reported swine flu cases.

Health officials in the Dominican Republic have confirmed another nine Swine Flu cases in that country, raising its current total Swine Flu cases to 11. The new cases include six youngsters who were enrolled at the Carol Morgan School, an International school located in the D.R. with over 1100 students from over 30 countries.

All nine new cases are reported to be in good state of health and recovering.

As swine flu cases now top 6,600 worldwide, vaccine makers and other experts met yesterday at the World Health Organization (WHO) to discuss the tough decisions that must be made quickly in order to fight the evolving swine flu virus.

Pharmaceutical companies are said to be ready to begin making a swine flu vaccine — but there are concerns, especially given that the virus may mutate, so many questions abound: For e.g. how much of the swine flu vaccine should be produced? How will it be distributed? Who should get it? etc.

The group’s recommendations will be passed on to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, who is expected to issue advice to vaccine manufacturers and the World Health Assembly next week.

China and Hong Kong both confirmed yesterday their second separate swine flu cases, both in passengers who flew in from North America. They have now stepped up the search for those who may have come in contact with them.

In China, authorities said a student who had recently returned from Canada and then took a train to the eastern province of Shandong had tested positive for the Swine Flu virus. They immediately started trying to track down anyone who may have had contact with the 19-year-old, even as the search continued for passengers who were on the same flight as mainland China’s first confirmed swine flu case.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, authorities said a 24 year old man, who had returned from the United States, was confirmed with swine flu, and he’s being held in isolation in hospital.