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Factfile: What is Swine Flu?
"Swine flu" is the name commonly given to a new form of flu. From a first known case in Mexico, the outbreak has spread at exceptional speed, prompting the UN's World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare a pandemic on June 11. The official designation is A(H1N1) influenza.
Why the alarm?
People have no or little immunity against the new virus. Three times in the past century, brand-new flu strains have spread around the world, killing millions of people. The good news is that A(H1N1) is contagious but relatively mild. Its effects are comparable to those of ordinary, or "seasonal", flu. But the worry is that it could pick up genes making it as lethal as past pandemic microbes.
What is the toll?
More than 700 people have been killed by A(H1N1), according to the WHO. It stopped issuing a tally of infections in July, when recorded cases neared the 100,000 mark. By comparison, between 250,000 to 500,000 people around the world die of regular seasonal flu every year.
How does A(H1N1) spread?
Swine flu spreads like ordinary flu, i.e. in viral particles expelled in coughs and sneezes that are then breathed in by someone nearby, or deposited on surfaces that are then touched by the hand and transmitted to the mouth, nose or eyes. People with the virus may be able to infect others beginning a day before symptoms develop, and up to seven days or more after becoming sick. Young children may be contagious for somewhat longer.
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