Swine Flu Spreads across the world – India issues travel advisory against travel to Mexico, US, Canada, New Zealand and France
In view of the recent outbreak of Swine Flu – the Indian government issued a travel advisory today asking Indians to restrict visits to Mexico, US, Canada, New Zealand and France. The fear gripped India over the spread of the killer virus across the world.
More than 100 people in Mexico are believed to have died from the new flu and more than 1,600 sickened, prompting widespread school closures and other measures in the country. Some of those who died are confirmed to have a unique version of the A/H1N1 flu virus that is a combination of bird, pig and human viruses. According to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan – the outbreak had “pandemic potential”.
In the United States, at least 11 cases of swine flu have been confirmed. Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. David Butler-Jones said six cases had been confirmed there, and all had links to people who had travelled to Mexico. New cases were reported from New Zealand, Hong Kong and Spain, raising concerns about the potential for a global pandemic.
US stock market has plummeted yesterday in the wake of Swine Flu. However President Obama has assured that Swine Flu has not yet reached an alarming level.
India issues travel advisory
All travellers flying into India from Mexico, US, Canada, New Zealand and France would be individually checked for flu symptoms – like fever and upper respiratory tract infection. All passengers arriving from Mexico will especially be tested.
Health officials have also been asked to locate all passengers who came into the country from Mexico in the last 10 days.
What is Swine Flu
Scientists have warned for years about the potential for a pandemic caused by viruses that mix genetic material from humans and animals. Swine flu is a type A influenza virus that causes respiratory illness in pigs. Whole herds are known to fall ill with the virus but rarely have pigs died on account of the infection. It sometimes affects humans who have close contact with pigs. What is particularly worrying about the current swine flu infecting pigs and humans is that the H1N1 virus is a genetic mix of swine, human and avian flu strains, a dangerous combination that could elude traditional drug treatments.
Coughing and sneezing are the most common modes of transmission of the infection between humans once the pig to human infection happens.
Preventive measures
Avoiding contact with infected swine
Wearing protective face masks in piggeries
Making sure pork is cooked well in temperatures of at least 70 degrees Celsius.
How Swine Flu is treated
No vaccine specifically protects against swine flu, and it is unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer.. “Tamiflu” is the only medicine that could be effective for Swine Flu. India has stockpiled 1 million doses of “Tamiflu”.
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