Take preventative measures during swine flu scare
With the recent worldwide frenzy about the swine flu outbreak, it’s important to have a basic knowledge about this strain of influenza and how to avoid it.
Swine flu gets its name because it is a virus that generally only infects pigs. The strain causing the current outbreak is a combination of swine, human and bird influenzas. The technical name is Influenza A (H1N1) /North America/Human.
Eating properly handled and prepared pork or other products derived from pigs is safe. The H1N1 Swine virus is transmitted by close contact from either pig to pig, pig to human, or human to human. Its ease of transmitting has been a major factor in the rapid outbreak.
The outbreak began in Mexico and cases have been reported in the United States, South America, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, Africa, Great Britain and Spain. This outbreak of the swine flu has killed over 150 worldwide.
As of Wednesday, only one death has been reported in the U.S. At least 10 states in the U.S. have laboratory-confirmed cases of humans with the swine flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website.
Indiana has reported one mild case in the northern region. Registered nurse Terri Nigh, coordinator of student health services, said students are no less susceptible to the swine flu than students in any other area of the country.
