Today, the World Health Organizations Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan, made these statements to the press:

In late April, WHO announced the emergence of a novel influenza A virus.
This particular H1N1 strain has not circulated previously in humans. The virus is entirely new.
The
virus is contagious, spreading easily from one person to another, and
from one country to another. As of today, nearly 30,000 confirmed cases
have been reported in 74 countries.
We know that the novel H1N1
virus preferentially infects younger people. In nearly all areas with
large and sustained outbreaks, [b]the majority of cases have occurred in people under the age of 25 years.
In
some of these countries, around 2% of cases have developed severe
illness, often with very rapid progression to life-threatening
pneumonia.
Most cases of severe and fatal infections have been in adults between the ages of 30 and 50 years.
This
pattern is significantly different from that seen during epidemics of
seasonal influenza, when most deaths occur in frail elderly people.
Many,
though not all, severe cases have occurred in people with underlying
chronic conditions. Based on limited, preliminary data, conditions most
frequently seen include respiratory diseases, notably asthma,
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and obesity.
At
the same time, it is important to note that around one third to half of
the severe and fatal infections are occurring in previously healthy
young and middle-aged people.
Without question, pregnant women are at increased risk of complications. This heightened risk takes on added importance for a virus, like this one, that preferentially infects younger age groups.
To read the full announcement please visit the WHO website.

Phase
6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in
at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the
criteria defined in Phase 5.

Please remember to follow these CDC guidelines to stay healthy:

1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
2.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough
or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
4. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
5.
If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school
and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
6. Be sure to use our health care provider locator
on WhereToFindCare.com. Our website contains addresses, phone numbers,
quality information, user ratings, driving directions, and more much
for U.S. health care providers, such as hospitals, urgent care walk-in clinics, and free clinics, and federally qualified health clinics.



Swine Flu Signs and Symptoms

If
you are experiencing swine flu symptoms below, especially if you've
travelled to Mexico in the last 7 days, see your doctor. Find an urgent care center or hospital emergency room near you.

According to the CDC, the symptoms of the swine flu (pig flu) are similar to that of the regular human flu:
1. Fever
2. Cough
3. Sore Throat
4. Body Aches
5. Chills
6. Fatigue
In
some cases vomiting and diarrhea have been reported. Like seasonal flu,
swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical
conditions.

[b]What should you do if you think are you sick:
1. Contact your health care provider. They can will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.
2. Stay home and avoid contact with others to avoid spreading the virus to others.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, you should seek emergency medical care.

For children, the warning signs that need urgent medical care:
1. Fast breathing or trouble breathing
2. Bluish skin color
3. Not drinking enough fluids
4. Not waking up or not interacting
5. Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
6. Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
7. Fever with a rash

For adults, the warning signs that need urgent medical care:
1. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
2. Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
3. Sudden dizziness
4. Confusion
5. Severe or persistent vomiting

This information comes from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention Website. They also offer a Question and Answer fact sheet and postcast which address common questions about the swine flu like:
1. What is the Swine Flu
2. Signs and Symptoms
3. How its Transmitted
3. Treatments
4. What to do if you feel you are sick
5. How to protect yourself from getting sick

and much more, so check it out!

Need help locating a health care provider? Use our free health care provider locator tool. Our site contains quality data, user ratings, and much more.