WHO notches up swine flu pandemic alert

clipped from www.msnbc.msn.com A patient showing symptoms of swine flu is being admitted at a hospital in Mulhouse, Haut Rhin, France. Slideshow   Swine flu worries world From Mexico to Europe to the United States and beyond, an outbreak of deadly swine flu leads to concern and health warnings. more photos Video   WHO: Alert now at pandemic level 5   April 29: Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO, has raised the pandemic level based on evidence of how quickly the swine flu can spread. MSNBC Global health authorities warned Wednesday that swine flu was threatening to bloom into a pandemic, and the virus spread farther in Europe even as the outbreak appeared to stabilize at its epicenter. A toddler who succumbed in Texas became the first death outside Mexico. Q&A Swine flu Learn about the virus found in pigs and why it is causing concern among health officials. msnbc.com

Swine flu alert from Phase Four to Phase Five

clipped from www.nhs.uk Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the level of the swine flu alert from Phase Four to Phase Five, the second highest. The WHO states that while most countries will not be affected at this stage, going to Phase Five is a strong signal that “a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the organisation, communication, and implementation of planned mitigation measures is short”. How many cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the UK? What is in the swine flu leaflet? What is the current state of alert?  What can I do to protect myself and my family? You can also prepare now and in the build-up to a possible pandemic by: I have flu-like symptoms – what should I do? Does the UK government have special drugs available? Do I need a face mask?

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy against Swine Flu

clipped from www.cdc.gov International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection See: World Health Organization What You Can Do to Stay Healthy There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people. If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Government website provides latest on swine flu

clipped from www.isleofman.com Members of the public who have concerns about swine flu can access to the latest information on the Isle of Man Government’s website. Key officers are keeping a close watch on the situation, and meeting on a daily basis to review the position and provide briefings for the chief minister. As advice emerges or changes it will be posted on the website. Currently it carries details about the importance of hygiene and what to do if you have recently returned from Mexico, where the virus started. There are also several links, including one to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website which is now advising against “all but essential travel to Mexico”. To access information about swine flu go to gov.im and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the page.

The Symptoms of Swine Flu

Another good reason to check with a doctor is that he or she may prescribe drugs that shorten the severity and duration of your symptoms. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides regular updates on swine flu cases and other information on its Web site. And over at the Consults blog, reporter Pam Belluck has provided answers from experts to several reader questions.

And if you’re tired of fretting about swine flu, you can join the folks at Gawker who are complaining about the alarmist nature of the swine flu reporting. Check out their “Aporkalypse Now” video montage of swine flu television coverage.

clipped from well.blogs.nytimes.com How do I know if it’s swine flu? That’s the obvious question people around the country are asking themselves the moment they experience a cough, sniffle or body ache. Swine flu can only be confirmed by a lab test. But I spoke with infectious disease expert Dr. Dan Hinthorn, director of the division of infectious disease at the University of Kansas about what distinguishes the symptoms of swine flu from regular flu. “We’d all like to know the exact answer,’’ he explained. “The symptoms are quite similar between regular flu and swine flu. Influenza ordinarily is a respiratory illness with fever, headache, sore throat, nasal stuffiness and cough. And body aches are real common. You go to bed and feel terrible. The difference may be that some of the people who have had swine flu have diarrhea or vomiting. That’s unusual except in children. Adults usually don’t have diarrhea with flu. It may well be that that could be a marker, but it’s not clear yet.’’