Swine Flu – Be Alert!

Swine flu has been the talk of the nation these days. The virus first showed up in Mexico and now has more than 100 deaths. US have also reported with 1 death and the virus has spread to Europe and slowly coming to Asia. New Zealand has so far been identified as the only country in Asia region with confirmed cases. Face masks would again be selling like hot cakes just like during the SARS period a few years back.

The SARS epidemic was the first of its kind then and I had some bad experiences dealing with it albeit indirectly. I was in Singapore on business when SARS was in rampant phase. Came back to Malaysia and could not get a face mask. I have to get someone in US to courier in the face mask. Then my business appointments were all cancelled and postponed because my clients somehow knew that I just came back from Singapore and did not want to take the risk to meet me! I only managed to see them again a month later…. and they were still cautious and kept a distance from me! LOL!

Facts about swine flu (courtesy of theSun for the benefits of all)

What kind of flu is it?

The virus is an influenza A virus, carrying the designation H1N1 and is spreading from person to person. It contains DNA from avian, swine and human viruses, including elements from European and Asian swine viruses, according to the US Center fro Disease Control and Prevention.

How it is spread
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Kissing (oh.. oh)
- Touching infected objects
- Touching nose, mouth and /or eyes with infected hands

Symptoms
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Lethargy
- Coughing
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea

Higher risk individuals
- Age of 65 years or older
- Chronic health problems (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease)
- Pregnant women
- Young children

Complications
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
- Sinus infections
- Ear infections

Treatment
Oseltamivir (Tamiflu)

Zanamivir (Relenza)

Prevention
- Covering nose and mouth with a tissue upon coughing and sneezing
- Avoiding contact with ill persons
- Avoiding the urge to touch nose, mouth and eyes in general
- Staying home from work and /or school upon onset and for the duration of symptoms
- Assuring adequate and thorough hand washing and use of alcohol based hand cleansers