On Sunday, April 26, the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a “public health emergency” based on “confirmed cases of Swine Influenza A (swH1N1) in California, Texas, Kansas, and New York.  In Mexico, 1,614 cases have been reported of suspected swine flu, including 103 deaths.  At writing, 40 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the United States, all of them mild and only one requiring hospitalization (Los Angeles Times).

This is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert. But it is not a cause for alarm,” Obama said Monday in an address to the National Academy of Sciences. [The Hill]

The Centers for Disease Control (an agency of HHS) describes Swine Influenza (swine flu) as “a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs.”  Although transmission to people is not common, it has been known to occur.  In the current  outbreak, the virus is spreading from person to person, mainly through coughing or sneezing, according to the CDC.  Infection may also occur when a person touches a surface contaminated with the flu virus and then touches their nose or mouth without first washing their hands.

What You Need to Know

Symptoms include fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea.  No vaccine currently exists for this virus, but oseltamivir or zanamivir may be helpful for treatment and/or infection prevention. [CDC]The best approach is to avoid infection, using a few basic recommendations from the CDC.

• Wash hands often with soap and water (or alcohol-based hand cleaners), especially after you cough or sneeze.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw it away after use.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth [unless you have first washed your hands].
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick, avoid contact with others to protect them; stay home from work or school.

Keep in mind that germs can be spread from hands to surfaces like doorknobs, stair rails and phones.

As for wearing masks, CBS News reports that the CDC recommends it at this time “only if you are in contact with a person who is infectious or has
been diagnosed with this flu,” in which case an N-95
mask is a good choice and better than a surgical mask.

Updates on the public health emergency are available from CDC via its website, also via twitter, podcasts and email subscription. Information is available also in Spanish/Español.