Recently the fact that superstar Aamir Khan and his wife are down with swine flu made headlines. As well wishers rushed to wish them a speedy recovery, the fact that swine flu has raised its ugly head in India again has concerned many others. So are you and I at risk of swine flu? How can we protect ourselves and what are the symptoms to watch out for?
Aamir Khan was unable to attend the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup Awards because he and his wife have swine flu; as such are required to remain in quarantine and out of contact with others to prevent infecting them, for at least a week.
With the sort of adulation that Aamir Khan enjoys, the get well wishes were soon pouring in on Twitter and elsewhere on social media.
It is known as the H1N1 virus; and is a subtype of the most common flu virus. It is so called because this virus is seen to infect pigs commonly and in some cases does pass from animal to human. However the commonest form or transmission of the H1Ni virus is person to person.
Swine Flu first hit the headlines with the global pandemic of 2009 and 2010 and according to some estimates, claimed as many as 579,000 lives worldwide. In India the 2015 swine flu outbreak caused about 33,000 people to become infected and caused the death of over 2000 Indians. The most deaths were reported from Rajasthan and Gujarat.
This year, there have been about 12,500 cases of swine flu reported in the country so far. About 284 deaths have been recorded so far; with about half of those occurring in Maharashtra. This year has seen a sharp spike in relating to last year, which saw only 1,786 cases. Twelve people have also died in Uttar Pradesh because of swine flu.
The fact is that swine flu is no more or less dangerous than other types of influenza. It is dangerous when the person has a severe form of swine flu. It is usually a cause for worry only when people have to be hospitalized with the illness. It is usually the complications arising from the infection rather than the infection itself that could result in death.
Symptoms are similar to regular flu: fever, joint pain, headaches, feelings of tiredness and runny or blocked nose are the most common symptoms. Diarrhea and vomiting may also occur. Usually symptoms subside on their own; however children, elders and those with compromised immune systems are advised to seek medical attention.
The best way to prevent swine flu is to keep away from infected people and for infected people to keep away from public spaces and crowded places. A face mask is not indicated for uninfected people. It is recommended that infected people wear a mask to prevent spreading the virus to others. Infected people should sneeze into a tissue rather than their hand. Frequent hand washing is recommended to prevent spread of the disease. It is advisable to get symptoms tested to rule out or confirm swine flu. Symptoms such as difficulty breathing, pain in the chest or stomach, confusion and so on should not be ignored and should have medical attention.
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