Though people with underlying health conditions are considered more vulnerable to the virus, young and healthy teenagers and adults under 50-years-old have also become seriously ill and in some cases died.
Consequently young and healthy teens and adults should seek immediate medical care if they show serious symptoms of this virus.
However, people with pre-existing health conditions are considered especially vulnerable as some have become seriously ill and died from this virus.
Pre-existing health conditions evident in people who have fallen seriously ill or died from this virus include serious respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Other high-risk groups include persons with chronic illness predisposing to severe influenza such as:
- Cardiac disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Chronic metabolic diseases
- Chronic renal diseases
- Haemoglobinopathies (genetically inherited disorders of red blood cell haemoglobin including sickle cell disease and the thalassaemias.)
- Immunosuppressive diseases (including cancers, HIV/AIDS infection, drugs)
- Chronic neurological conditions
The following groups of people are also at risk:
- Pregnant women, particularly in second and third trimesters.
- Persons with morbid obesity.
- Indigenous peoples of any age.
How do I care for a person in a high-risk group?
Contact your doctor if you are experiencing flu symptoms.
Seek medical care early since antiviral medication, which may be prescribed by a medical practitioner, is most effective if taken in the first 48 hours of flu symptoms.
DANGER SIGNS - WHEN SOMEONE SHOULD BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO HOSPITAL
Most people can be cared for at home.
There are some people who need to be taken to hospital immediately if they are ill and have any of the following conditions:
- The person has a chronic health condition
- A woman is pregnant
- The person has shortness of breath while resting, difficult or painful breathing, or wheezing,
- The person is coughing up blood,
- The person has a fever after 5 days,
- The person feels better and then gets a new fever or the cough worsens, or
- The person is extremely drowsy, confused, or develops a severe headache.
Children should immediately be taken to hospital if they:
- Have a chronic health condition
- Have shortness of breath while resting, difficult or painful breathing, or wheezing,
- Have a temperature over 39°C,
- Are vomiting for more than four hours, or
- Are hard to wake up, unusually quiet, or unresponsive
H1N1 advice and information for high risk groups: