Swine Flu Pandemic
Swine flu or H1N1 influenza pandemic is a worldwide outbreak of a unique strain of influenza that was first detected in April 2006 in Mexico. Considered to be a transmutation of four different types of influenza viruses, the disease has infected thousands of people around the world, which led the World Health Organization to declare it a pandemic.
The global swine flu pandemic has also claimed several human lives since being discovered first in a Mexican village where it was thought to have existed for months before its outbreak in different countries around the globe.
Most illnesses caused by the swine flu epidemic were of a mild nature and patients recovered even without or with very little medication required. However, recently the virus has caused a lot of panic after a number of deaths were reported.
Reasons for global swine flu epidemic
The swine flu virus is extremely contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing or when a person touches a contaminated surface and then touches his nose or mouth. The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to those of the seasonal flu such as high fever, runny nose, loss of appetite, cough, sore throat etc.
Doctors and scientists from around the world are working on developing a vaccine that would be able to protect against the virus but a vaccine is not expected to be ready anytime before the end of this year. The vaccine, according to doctors will also be initially available in limited quantity and will only be enough for being given to high risk groups such as pregnant women, health workers, old people and children.
However, the concern that by the time a vaccine is produced the virus may mutate further has kept the experts on tenterhooks.
Swine flu pandemic in India
In India, the H1N1 virus has spread in majority of the cities and has even led to a number of deaths. Various cities including Delhi and Mumbai have hundreds of swine flu patients while Pune has been the worst affected in terms of the number of deaths.
People with swine flu symptoms have been thronging hospitals and medical centres to get themselves checked.