Today, the World Health Organizations Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan, made these statements to the press:
In late April, WHO announced the emergence of a novel influenza A virus.
This particular H1N1 strain has not circulated previously in humans. The virus is entirely new.
The virus is contagious, spreading easily from one person to another, and from one country to another. As of today, nearly 30,000 confirmed cases have been reported in 74 countries.
We know that the novel H1N1 virus preferentially infects younger people. In nearly all areas with large and sustained outbreaks,
the majority of cases have occurred in people under the age of 25 years.
In some of these countries, around 2% of cases have developed severe illness, often with very rapid progression to life-threatening pneumonia.
Most cases of severe and fatal infections have been in adults between the ages of 30 and 50 years.
This pattern is significantly different from that seen during epidemics of seasonal influenza, when most deaths occur in frail elderly people.
Many, though not all, severe cases have occurred in people with underlying chronic conditions. Based on limited, preliminary data, conditions most frequently seen include respiratory diseases, notably asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and obesity.
At the same time, it is important to note that around one third to half of the severe and fatal infections are occurring in previously healthy young and middle-aged people.
Without question,
pregnant women are at increased risk of complications. This heightened risk takes on added importance for a virus, like this one, that preferentially infects younger age groups.
To read the full announcement please visit the
WHO website.Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5.
Please remember to follow these
CDC guidelines to stay healthy:
1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
4. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
5. If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
6. Be sure to use our
health care provider locator on WhereToFindCare.com. Our website contains addresses, phone numbers, quality information, user ratings, driving directions, and more much for U.S. health care providers, such as
hospitals,
urgent care walk-in clinics, and
free clinics, and
federally qualified health clinics.
*Information on WhereToFindCare.com is for informational purposes only. Always seek medical advice from your physician. In cases of emergency, seek care from an emergency health care provider.
Labels: Dawn, H1N1 pandemic, Phase 6 Pandemic, Pig Flu, Swine Flu, Swine Flu Symptoms
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Barbara O'Connell is a WhereToFindCare.com co-founder and blogs about navigating the healthcare system, how to find quality healthcare providers, how to improve healthcare and other musings from the healthcare world.
Dawn Hall is a WhereToFindCare.com co-founder and has over 16 years of experience in the health care industry improving processes and quality of the care throughout the delivery system.
Gregory Morad is WhereToFindCare.com's sales director and blogs about how you can use WhereToFindCare.com in your daily life.
Joey Granz is a WhereToFindCare.com co-founder, with 5 years experience as a healthcare worker in nursing homes. She blogs about current health care news.
