How do people become infected with Pandemic H1N1 2009?
Outbreaks in humans are now occurring from human-to-human transmission. When infected people cough or sneeze, infected droplets get on their hands, drop onto surfaces, or are dispersed into the air. Another person can breathe in contaminated air, or touch infected hands or surfaces, and be exposed. To prevent spread, people should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing, and wash their hands regularly.
What are the signs and symptoms of infection?
Early signs of Pandemic H1N1 2009 are flu-like, including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhoea.
Is there any confirmation of transmission between pigs and humans at this point?
No. This virus is at present transmitted from human-to-human. But on 2 May reported Pandemic H1N1 was identified in a swine herd in Alberta, Canada. It is highly probable that the pigs were exposed to the virus from a Canadian farm worker recently returned from Mexico, who had exhibited flu-like symptoms and had contact with the pigs. There is no indication of virus adaptation through transfer from human to pigs at this time.
Is there any information on the economic impact of the outbreak so far?
It will be quite a while before we have a coherent picture of the economic cost of this disease. However, pandemics usually cause economic hardship in the form of absenteeism, lost business opportunities, and damage to travel-reliant industries such as tourism.
Analysis by the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States of America, has concluded that influenza strains cause significant costs to the US economy. Among its conclusions were 3.1 million hospitalized days each year, direct medical costs averaging $10.4 billion annually, and projected lost earnings due to illness and loss of life of $16.3 billion annually.
Why are we so worried about this pandemic possibility when thousands die every year from seasonal epidemics?
Seasonal epidemics occur every year and we are able to treat the virus with seasonal vaccines. A pandemic is a worldwide epidemic. It is a new virus and one to which the populations will have no immunity.
Is it safe to travel?
WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the Pandemic H1N1 2009 virus. Today, global travel is commonplace and large numbers of people move around the world for business and leisure. Limiting travel and imposing travel restrictions would have very little effect on stopping the virus from spreading, but would be highly disruptive to the global community.
Pandemic H1N1 2009 has already been confirmed in many parts of the world. The global response now focuses on minimizing the impact of the virus through the rapid identification of cases, and providing patients with appropriate medical care, rather than on stopping its spread internationally.
Although identifying signs and symptoms of influenza in travellers can help track the path of the outbreak, it will not reduce the spread of influenza, as the virus can be transmitted from person to person before the onset of symptoms.
Scientific research based on mathematical modelling shows that restricting travel would be of limited or no benefit in stopping the spread of disease. Historical records of previous influenza pandemics, as well as experience with SARS, validate this.
Does WHO recommend screenings at country entry and exit points to detect if ill people are travelling
No. We do not believe entry and exit screenings would work to reduce the spread of this disease. However country-level measures to respond to a public health risk are the decision of national authorities, under the International Health Regulations 2005.
Countries that adopt measures that significantly interfere with international traffic (e.g. delaying an airplane passenger for more than 24 hours, or refusing country entry or departure to a traveller) must provide WHO with the public health reasoning and evidence for their actions. WHO will follow up with all of its Member countries on such matters. Travellers should always be treated with dignity and respect for their human rights.
How can I protect myself from Pandemic H1N1 2009 when I am travelling?
People who are ill should delay travel plans. Returning travellers who become ill should contact their health care provider.
Travellers can protect themselves and others by following simple prevention practices that apply while travelling and in daily life.
Is it safe to eat pork?
Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products are safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.
Can I catch Pandemic H1N1 from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of this virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza.
It is likely that other influenza viruses such as Pandemic H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.