Updates about "H1N1" pandemic

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 67

Weekly update
As of 20 September 2009, there have been more than 300,000 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1, 3917 deaths, in 191 countries and territories reported to WHO.
As more and more countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is significantly lower than the actually number of cases that have occurred. While the case counts no longer reflect actual disease activity, WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of data.

In the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity continues to increase in many areas. In North America, the United States has reported continued increases in activity above the seasonal baseline for the last 2 to 3 weeks, primarily in the southeast but now also appearing in the upper midwest and the northeast. In Europe and Central and Western Asia, the United Kingdom is reporting regional increases in ILI activity in Northern Ireland and Scotland and the Netherlands, France, Ireland, and Israel are reporting rates above the seasonal baseline. In In Japan, influenza activity continues to be slightly above the seasonal epidemic threshold. The increases in ILI activity have been accompanied by increases in laboratory isolations of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 in most of these areas.

In the tropical regions of the Americas and Asia, influenza activity remains variable. In parts of India, Bangladesh and Cambodia, influenza transmission continues to be active, while other countries in the Southeast Asia have been recently reporting declining transmission (Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand). Although most countries in the tropical regions of the Americas are still reporting regional to widespread geographic spread of influenza activity, there is no consistent pattern in the trend of respiratory diseases. Peru and Mexico have reported an increasing trend in some areas, while most others are reporting an unchanged or decreasing trend (most notably Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil).

In the temperate regions of the southern hemisphere, influenza transmission has largely returned to baseline (Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand) or is continuing to decline (Australia and South Africa).

All pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza viruses analyzed to date have been antigenically and genetically similar to A/California/7/2009-like pandemic H1N1 2009 virus. See below for a detailed laboratory surveillance update.

About pandemic flu
· Last modified date:
1 May 2009

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. Pandemic flu occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily from person to person, causes serious illness and can sweep across the country in which it originates and around the world in a very short time.

In contrast to the ‘ordinary’ or ‘seasonal’, flu outbreaks which we see every winter in the UK, flu pandemics occur infrequently - usually every few decades. There were three last century. The most serious was in 1918, killing millions of people worldwide and smaller pandemics happened in 1957 and 1968.
Are we at risk now?
A pandemic can only start when three conditions have been met:
· a new influenza virus subtype emerges
· it infects humans, causing serious illness
· it spreads easily and sustainably among humans.
When will a pandemic arrive in UK?
We do not know – it can’t be predicted. The gaps between previous pandemics have varied widely. Intervals between previous pandemics have varied from 11 to 42 years with no recognisable pattern. Three influenza pandemics occurred in the last century – 1918/19 (Spanish flu), 1957/58 (Asian flu) and 1968/69 (Hong Kong flu). All affected large numbers of the population, causing many deaths and huge economic and social disruption.
How long will it take to arrive in the UK?
Probably less than six months and possibly just a few weeks or less, but this will depend upon where the pandemic emerges. Of course, it is important to remember that the pandemic could emerge in the UK. The increasing speed and volume of modern travel means infectious diseases can travel very rapidly around the globe.
Can it be prevented at any stage?
International effort will be made in trying to control a pandemic when it emerges. However, influenza is highly infectious and because whole populations will be susceptible to the new virus, despite people’s best efforts, it is likely to continue to spread.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has purchased a stockpile of antivirals which can be transported to the source of the outbreak. It is hoped that these antivirals may help to contain the emerging virus.
Who is at risk?
We cannot know which groups will be affected by pandemic flu until the virus emerges. However, we know from previous pandemics that a future one is likely to have a major impact worldwide and from experience of previous pandemics we know that it is not necessarily the young and the elderly that will be affected.
How is the virus spread?
The virus is easily passed from person to person by breathing in air containing the virus produced when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes. It can also spread through hand/ face contact after touching a person or surface contaminated with the virus.
Symptoms
Pandemic flu is likely to cause the same symptoms as ordinary flu but the symptoms may be more severe because nobody will have any immunity or protection against that particular virus. People infected with the current strand of the avian virus (H5N1) have shown everything from typical human influenza-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches) to pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases, and other life-threatening complications.

What do you kow about "A" flu?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT “A” FLU (SWINE FLU)
1. You would have heard that swine flu is a pandemic, but what does this word mean?

2. Is it the same disease as the normal (seasonal flu)?

3. Has it got any relationship with avian flu (bird flu)?

4. Tell wether these sentences are true or false

a. We’ve got a vaccine for “A” flu but it is not very effective.
b. “A” flu is more dangerous than seasonal flu because it’s mortality rate is bigger.
c. A mask for your mouth and nose is a good means not to catch flu.
d. The best means to prevent catching “A” flu is to clean frequently your hands.
e. Young people catch “A” flu more easily than seasonal flu.
f. Symptoms of “A” flu are more serious than those of the seasonal flu.
g. The use of antibiotics is very effective for treating the flu.
h. We have not at present any good treatment for “A” flu.
i. Normal vaccine for seasonal flu is also useful for “A” flu.
j. The flu is caused by a Virus.
k. But “A” flu is caused by a bacteria.
l. Normal antivirals are not effective against “A” flu
m. Risk goups are the same as with seasonal flu.


5. What`s “Tamiflu”?


6. Describe very shortly what a virus is. If possible draw a picture.


7. Have you ever heard about the “Spanish flu”?. If not look for information.


8. The “World Health Organisation” (WHO) don´t consider any more the term “swine flu”as correct, instead they propose the term “H1N1 flu”. Could you give a reason for that?