The illness normally infects just pigs, however this particular strain of the virus has been passed on to humans. Whilst it is not necessarily as lethal as other strains, what make this particular flu virus worrying is the speed at which is has spread from person to person across the world.
How do I know if I have caught swine flu?
Swine flu symptoms are the same as any regular seasonal flu if you have more than any of the following symptoms you may have swine flu:
- Fever (temperature of 38c of more)
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Muscle and joint aches
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
If your symptoms are particularly severe you should contact the National Pandemic Flu Service on 0800 1 513 100 for information on influenza A H1N1 and how to treat the symptoms.
You should not attempt going to you GP surgery in case you are infectious and spread the virus to others, unless you:
- have a serious underlying illness
- are pregnant
- suddenly deteriorate
- feel much worse after seven days (five for a child)
Who is most at risk from swine flu?
Those who are more at risk from becoming seriously ill with swine flu are people with chronic illnesses such as:
- lung disease
- asma
- heart disease
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- suppressed immune systems
- diabetes
Other risk groups include:
- pregnant women
What drugs can treat swine flu?
The government has enough of the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza to treat the entire population. These drugs need to be taken within the first 48 hours of symptoms appearing to have any noticeable effect on the patient.
Vaccination campaigns are being rolled out across the country and the vaccine will be offered first to those groups most at risk and then to everyone else. The NHS will administer the vaccine and it is hoped everyone will receive their jab by Christmas.
How dangerous is Swine Flu?
Most people only experience mild symptoms and get better on their own at home. The virus has been severe in a relatively small number of people who have needed hospital care.
Whilst the H1N1 virus is not as dangerous as the mutating strain of bird flu we saw some years ago, a sharp increase in the number of patients with swine flu admitted to critical care has been reported. With winter round the corner experts warn of tough times ahead for the health services.
The WHO judges Britain and France to be the best-prepared nations for such a pandemic.