I was very concerned when i first heard about this whole Influenza thing so i did some research on i and found out that its quite common in swines, but rare in humans, and being a viral infection like any other kind of flu obviously, its better to prevent it than cure it. . . .I'm not saying that there isn't any cure for it yet, but I'm saying its essential to do all one can to prevent spreading the virus!!

* Hand-washing can help prevent viral infections, including ordinary influenza and the new swine flu virus.

* Cover ur moth when u cough, carry a little hand sanitizer wid u all the time,

* Stay home if u are sick!!

* And if u can for now, try as much as possible to avoid large crowds!!

Finally the virus can be fast spread by coughs or sneezes, and these droplets tend to linger on door knobs, tabletops,

telephones and other surfaces and be transferred via the fingers to the mouth, nose or eyes.

what becomes of us when this flu hits africa?
are u ready to fight it?

you bet some clever american/ european sales people are already selling africa some "cures".

[size=18pt]Africa awaits two swine flu tests [/size]

Africa's first two possible cases of the potentially killer swine flu virus are being tested in South Africa. Both women, one from Gauteng, the other from Western Cape, had "mild symptoms", said Lucille Blumberg, of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. It comes as the African Union prepared to establish a continent-wide response to any major outbreak of the virus. The World Health Organization has raised the swine flu alert level to warn a global pandemic may be imminent. The two South Africans had recently visited Mexico, epicentre of the disease, said officials.

Sample bungle

Neither was seriously ill and one had already recovered after receiving anti-viral treatments. But health authorities said they were unlikely to be able to confirm if one of the women did have the virus as her sample had not been stored properly. Ms Blumberg said swine flu tests needed to be sent overseas for confirmation, as South African laboratories could still only do preliminary examinations.



Local laboratory test results are expected in days. One of the women was named by Die Burger newspaper as 58-year-old Susan Kok, of Mossel Bay, Western Cape. The newspaper reported that she had been feeling unwell when she returned to South Africa with her husband last Saturday, after a month-long holiday in Mexico. "We spent quite a bit of time on trains and buses. And we were at the airport in Mexico City three times, so I thought the cough was just due to jet lag," she told Die Burger.

'A continental plan'

The African Union has been working on an emergency response to swine flu at a conference in Ethiopia. "We hope to establish a continental plan for prevention, and if necessary a mechanism to fight this outbreak that has not yet affected Africa," the AU's Peace and Security Commissioner Jean Ping said in Addis Ababa. Egypt has ordered the nation's quarter of a million pigs to be slaughtered over swine flu fears, in the first such move in the world, even though experts say the virus cannot be transmitted by eating meat. The authorities in Ghana have banned imports of pork and pork products and the Central African nation Gabon has followed suit. Health monitoring has been stepped up at ports from Kenya and Ethiopia in East Africa to Senegal and Mauritania in the west. Mozambique has sent medical teams to its main seaports, which are some of the busiest in southern Africa.And authorities in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, have said they are ready to cope with any swine flu outbreak. The WHO raised the alert to the second highest level of five on Wednesday after a Mexican child died while on a visit to the US state of Texas - the first death from the swine flu outside Mexico. Officials put the number of suspected deaths from the bug in Mexico at 159, although just eight deaths have been confirmed. Since the virus emerged last week, it has also spread to Canada, Europe, Israel, and New Zealand.


Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8026339.stm

NIGERIA IS SWINE –FLU FREE, OSOTIMEHIN
Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin has come out strong that Nigeria has not recorded any trace of the swine-flu that is spreading fast across the world. He made this statement during his an emergency meeting of stakeholders and Partners on Swine Flu in his office. “So far as at 3oth April 2009, Nigeria has not recorded any suspected case of Swine flu that the Federal Government of Nigeria is prepared to contain any outbreak of Swine Flu in the Country”. He said.
That in order to promptly detect and effectively respond to any suspected case the Ministry has put in place the ; The National Epidemic Preparedness and Response Committee to include state commissioners of Health, the WHO case definition with surveillance guidelines and Swine Flu Laboratory guidelines disseminated to all States Ministries of Health including clinicians and the states’ Epidemiologists have also been directed to carry out sensitization activities and conduct surveillance in their various states. Stressing further that surveillance has been strengthened at all ports of entry into the country and all Federal Port Health Services Officers sensitized and are at alert at all international Airports.
Osotimehin also said that immediate steps of procuring of drugs and supplies and Laboratory Reagents and madia ,training of State’s Directors of Public health, Epidemiologists, Prepositioning of drugs and supplies in all the States including FCT and Federal Hospitals, training of Port Health Services officers on swine flu identification, Training of Laboratory Scientists on the laboratory confirmation of Swine Flu, sensitization meeting with International Health Regulations Stakeholders on Swine flu have been taken.
Meanwhile, Dr. Junaidu Maina, Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has said that the Swine Flu is a human disease, as there has been no scientific proof that it’s transmitted from pig but from human to human. The Country Representative of the World Health Organization, WHO has reiterated the WHO’s commitment in addressing the possible outbreak of the Swine Flu.
The Minister added that mechanism would be put in place to ensure the massive creation of awareness to reach the public with special awareness campaign package on NTA Network news, the FRCN and FM Stations across the 36 States and FCT.
It will be recalled that on the 25th April 2009, The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of Swine Flu in Mexico and the USA; this was in accordance with the International Health Regulations (IHR2005) of which Nigeria is a signatory. So far, nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of Swine Influenza A/H1N1 infections in humans, with the USA confirming the human case of Swine influenza in 6 states with 1 death recorded in a 23 months old toddler. Meanwhile, Mexico appeared to top the countries with the highest record of the Swine Flu. So far, 26 cases have been confirmed with 7 deaths recorded, while Canada had so far recorded 13 cases and no death and Spain with 4 confirmed cases with no death. The following countries have also reported laboratory confirmed cases but with no death Austria (1), New Zealand (3), Israel (2), Germany (30) and the United Kingdom with five cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said, “While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase % is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measure is now”

)


Dear Compatriots,

Influenza A (H1N1) Infection Update 6

With effect from the 30th of April, the new influenza virus hitherto called Swine Flu will now be called “Influenza A(H1N1)”. The World Health Organization (WHO) made this pronouncement yesterday ostensibly because the influenza is transmitted from humans to humans and to avoid any misunderstanding of the nature of the influenza as it relates to pigs and pork meat.

In line with this, the Federal Ministry of Health wishes to reiterate the fact that there is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are also advised to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

We also advise that people who are ill should delay international travel and people developing symptoms following international travel should seek medical attention immediately.

As at today, 1st May 2009, eleven (11) Countries have officially reported 331 cases of Influenza A/H1N1 infection in humans.
The USA has reported 109 Laboratory confirmed human cases of Influenza A(H1N1) in 6 States with 1 death
Confirmed cases in Mexico has increased to 156 cases with 9 deaths, while Canada had so far recorded 34 cases and no death and Spain with 13 confirmed cases with no death

The following countries have also reported laboratory confirmed cases but with no death Austria (1), New Zealand (3), Israel (2,) Germany (3) and the United Kingdom ( with Switzerland and the Netherlands having 1 case each and the new addition to the number of Countries affected. So far the deaths recorded have been from Mexico (9) and the USA (1)


Current Situation in Nigeria as at 1st May 2009

So far as at 1st May 2009, Nigeria has not recorded any suspected case of the Influenza A(H1N1).

In view of the upgrade of the upgrade of the current level of the influenza pandemic alert from Phase 4 to Phase 5, another emergency meeting of the Stakeholders and partners on Influenza A(H1N1) took place at the Minister’s Conference Room of the Federal Ministry of Health under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin.

A work plan has been developed for immediate deployment with regards to the Preparedness and Response to Influenza A(H1N1).

The National Epidemic Preparedness and Response Committee has been expanded to include critical Federal Ministries such as Agriculture, Information and Education.

The Federal Ministry of Health recommends routine precautions to all and sundry to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as washing your hands often, covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.

For more information, please contact please contact Dr J.Y. Jiya, DPH, FMOH, Abuja. Tel 08060495210, e-mail: jiyajy@yahoo.com, Dr. A Nasidi, Director Special Project, FMOH, Abuja. Tel 08037006849, e-mail nasidia@gmail.com, and Dr Henry Akpan, National Epidemiologist, FMOH, Abuja. Tel 08037626718, e-mail: akpanhem@yahoo.com

The Federal Government is committed to protecting your health
Sincerely,

Professor Babatunde Osotimehin
Honourable Minister of Health
Federal Ministry of Health
Federal Republic of Nigeria

First Bird Flu, then Swine Flu. Its payback time! Lets teach these animals a lesson and give them one of ours, MAN FLU !

st_nonymus:

First Bird Flu, then Swine Flu. Its payback time! Lets teach these animals a lesson and give them one of ours, MAN FLU !

st_nonymus:

First Bird Flu, then Swine Flu. Its payback time! Lets teach these animals a lesson and give them one of ours, MAN FLU !

Hilarious!

st_nonymus:

First Bird Flu, then Swine Flu. Its payback time! Lets teach these animals a lesson and give them one of ours, MAN FLU !

Even WOMAN aka LADY FLU !!!

Makes me wonder if any true vegetarians were reportedly infected with the "swine flu"?

Horus:

Makes me wonder if any true vegetarians were reportedly infected with the "swine flu"?

probably, cause one doesn't necessarily have had contact with pigs to be infected with the flu

Nigeria News: Swine flu in Nigeria

The …full story,

http://assemblyonline.info/2009/05/nigeria-news-swine-flu-in-nigeria-the/

Which one is swine flu again, first ebola, then influenza flu now swine flu......
http://www.nationaltypist.com/virology-influenza-virus-review-influenza-symptoms/