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Swine Flu
Why is it in news?
- As per data released by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), 49 swine flu deaths and 1,694 cases reported in just one fortnight from January 1-13.
- States put on high alert as swine flu cases spike across the country.
More in news
- Rajasthan case: It alone has reported 31 deaths in this period with other instances being reported from Delhi, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Prdaesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Swine Flu
Swine Flu :
(1) H1N1 influenza (or swine flu) is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs.
(2) Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred.
(3) Most commonly, these cases occur in people with direct exposure to pigs (e.g., children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). However, there have been cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu.
Symptoms:
(1) H1N1 causes a respiratory illness and is very contagious.
(2) Symptoms of H1N1 are similar to those of the seasonal flu and may include: Fever, Body aches, Loss of appetite, cough, sore throat, headache, Fatigue, runny nose, Irritated eyes, Vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.
- Treatment:(1) H1N1 flu is a virus just like any other strain of flu, but it does appear to respond to the antiviral medications Tamiflu and Relenza.(2) These medications do not cure the illness, but they may shorten the duration, make symptoms less severe, or help you avoid it altogether if you are exposed.
Source
The Hindu, webmd