A new disease
It's been around
swine flu was first recognised as a disease related to human influenza during the 1918 flu pandemic, when pigs became sick at the same time as humans. The problem this time is that the virus is entirely new.
''This particular H1N1 strain has not circulated previously in humans, says Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Another thing to be aware of is that the virus, like all influenza viruses, keeps mutating.
Image: Fans wear face masks as a precaution against swine flu during a soccer game between Santos and Curitiba at a Brazilian championship soccer game in Cascavel in the state of Parana in Brazil, on Aug. 5, 2009. A state judge ordered fans to wear masks in order to avoid closing the event to the public.
Images: Copyright AP. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited
Also read: What to do if you show symptoms | Swine flu symptoms and medical advice
It's been around
swine flu was first recognised as a disease related to human influenza during the 1918 flu pandemic, when pigs became sick at the same time as humans. The problem this time is that the virus is entirely new.''This particular H1N1 strain has not circulated previously in humans, says Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Another thing to be aware of is that the virus, like all influenza viruses, keeps mutating.
Image: Fans wear face masks as a precaution against swine flu during a soccer game between Santos and Curitiba at a Brazilian championship soccer game in Cascavel in the state of Parana in Brazil, on Aug. 5, 2009. A state judge ordered fans to wear masks in order to avoid closing the event to the public.
Images: Copyright AP. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited
Also read: What to do if you show symptoms | Swine flu symptoms and medical advice
blog comments powered by Disqus