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Swine Flu (influenza A H1N1)
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing
What is swine flu and how serious it is !
1. Puri - Konark - Bhubaneswar
2. Varanasi - Allahabad
3. Vizag - Araku - Jagdalpur
4. Lava - Lolegaon - Rishyap
5. Darjeeling - Gangtok
6. Pelling - Rabangla
7. Delhi - Agra - Mathura - Brindaban
8. Simla Kulu Manali
9. Kinnaur - Sarahan - Sangla - Chitkul - Kalpa
10. Nainital - Kaushani - Ranikhet
Although symptoms have generally proved mild, a small number of patients will develop more serious illness. Many of these people have other underlying health conditions, such as heart or lung disease, that put them at increased risk.
SYMPTOMS :
•Fever
•Running Nose
•Cough
•Sore Throat
•Body Ache
•Headache
•Shivering
•Fatigue
•Lack of Energy
•Lack of Appetite
•a high body temperature of 38°C/100.4°F or over
DOS …………..
1. Wash hands regularly especially handling pigs
2. Drink plenty of fluids
3. Eat nutritios food
DONT’S ………….
1. Come in close contact with infected people
2. Tough surfaces that may have been exposed to those who have swine flu symtomps
Which people are most vulnerable from swine flu?
•chronic (long-term) lung disease, including people who have had drug treatment for their asthma within the past three years,
•chronic heart disease,
•chronic kidney disease,
•chronic liver disease,
•chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis),
•suppressed immune systems (whether caused by disease or treatment),
diabetes,
•pregnant women,
•people aged 65 or older, and
•young children under five.
What is the incubation period for swine flu?
According to the Health Protection Agency, the incubation period for swine flu (time between infection and appearance of symptoms) can be up to seven days, but it is most likely to be between two and five days.
How quickly is swine flu spreading?
Swine flu is now widespread in the world and spreading rapidly. The number of new cases in the world is doubling every seven days. Most of these are because people are catching swine flu in their local community and not as the result of foreign travel.
What are the complications of swine flu?
One of the most common complications of any type of flu is a secondary bacterial chest infection, such as bronchitis,this can become serious and develop into pneumonia. A course of antibiotics will usually cure this, but the infection sometimes becomes life-threatening.
Other rare complications include;
tonsilitis,
otitis media (a build-up of fluid in the ear),
septic shock (infection of the blood that causes a severe drop in blood pressure),
meningitis (infection in the brain and spinal cord), and
encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
Vaccine progress
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed last week i.e. 1st week of August’09 that the first swine flu vaccines are likely to be licensed for use in the general population in September. Initial batches of an H1N1 vaccine have already been produced, and clinical trials are underway.
"The quality controls on today's vaccine are much better than they were 30 years ago," said the WHO, which also oversees the safety checks on the seasonal flu jab.
Although a decision has not yet been finalised on which groups of the population will receive the vaccine first, it is likely to be people who are most vulnerable, such as those with underlying (existing) health conditions, frontline health workers (staff in contact with the public) and young children.
Advice for pregnant women
If you are pregnant, you can reduce your risk of infection by avoiding unnecessary travel and avoiding crowds where possible
If a family member or other close contact has swine flu, your doctor may prescribe you antiviral medication (usually Relenza) as a prophylactic (preventative) measure
Unless you have swine flu symptoms, carry on attending your antenatal appointments to monitor the progress of your pregnancy
Antiviral Drugs for Swine Flu Prevent Most Symptoms
Treating healthy individuals for weeks with Roche Holding AG’s Tamiflu or GlaxoSmithKline Plc.’s Relenza may prevent some from later displaying swine flu symptoms, researchers found.
The drugs didn’t stop people from getting infected with flu, according to a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine that analyzed previous studies. For every 25 people getting the treatments, one case of flu symptoms would be prevented, the researchers found. Worldwide supply of the drugs isn’t enough to give to everyone to prevent illness from flu, doctors said, so some people with higher risks may get priority.
Swine flu alert across Bengal
Bengal has issued a statewide swine flu alert and decided to quarantine anyone coming from North America, Europe and Mexico with symptoms of the disease.
Cases have been reported from Howrah and Calcutta and a school at Salkia, Howrah had to shut for a couple of days.
Calcutta airport is likely to set up four screening counters and would require about 12 doctors for three shifts, said airport health officer .
A special isolation ward has been set up at the ID Hospital and ventilators have been arrangedr . All districts have been told to report suspected cases.
Swine Flu Testing Centers and Hospitals in Kolkata
ID Hospital 57,
Beliaghata, Beliaghata Road,
Kolkata - 10
Phone 033-23701251/52
R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Kolkata
Belgachia Road,
Kolkata Calcutta 700004 (West Bengal)
Phone -033-25557676
if you are not from Kolkata, you can get details of your nearby Swine Flu testing center from :
http://www.punemate.com/2009/08/swine-flu-h1n1-india-helpline.html
http://www.medindia.net/healthnetwork/medblogs/general/swine-flu-hospital-details-238.htm
