Swine Flu: Good news and the bad news

Dr KK Aggarwal

Monday 22nd June 2009 New Delhi : Inspite of flu season being over ( US winter) in the US the new H1N1 swine flu continues to spread in some parts of the USA especially in the Northeast.  The U.S. will likely see [swine] flu activity continue throughout the summer ( US ).
Good news: The current flu continues to produce relatively mild symptoms, with patients recovering fairly quickly.
Bad News: In India it will be winter and the flu will increase. As per CDC about 7 percent of people living in outbreak area end up with flu symptoms.
What makes the H1N1 strain different from the typical seasonal flu is that about half of the people killed worldwide are young and previously healthy. In contrast, regular forms of the seasonal flu typically prove most lethal to the very young and the elderly.
Health care workers at risk: They need to do more to protect themselves from infection by the virus. In the current scenario around 50% are getting infected while at work, according to a report in the June 19 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Precautions include isolating H1N1 swine flu patients in single rooms. All health-care personnel should use gloves, respirators, gowns and eye protection while in a patient's room. Hand-washing should also be practiced.
*President, Heart Care Foundation of India and Director, IMA AKN Sinha Institute, 9811090206, drkk@ijcp.com