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Will the novel 2009 H1N1 virus (i.e. "Swine Flu") and the H5N1
virus (i.e. "Bird Flu") mix to become a new lethal virus?
As long as the present novel H1N1 virus does not change significantly, the
current pandemic will lead to many deaths, but not on the vast scale of 1918 to
1920 when some 50 to 100 million people died. However, viruses do change;
and a danger is that the easy to transmit novel H1N1 virus will mix with the
H5N1 virus which is much more lethal. This might happen somewhere such as
Indonesia, as its ministers are well aware. The Reuters news service sets out
the position: "Will two flus mix in Indonesia? Experts worry" at:
www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE55S4YE20090629
How serious is the H1N1 pandemic at present?
The current pandemic is slightly more serious than the annual flu, but
threatens different kinds of people. Whereas the current pandemic is
a threat to children and young adults, the annual flu is much more of
a threat to people over 60. This may be because older people have
some immunity to the novel H1N1 virus.
However, even though the novel H1N1 virus has only a moderate
impact, it is not a good idea to try and catch it now, during its first
wave, by holding a "swine flu party," as the Chairman of the British
Medical Association's public health committee, pointed out in a recent
report on BBC News, "Swine flu parties 'a bad idea'" at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8125191.stm
Further information will be added to this website on a regular basis.
virus (i.e. "Bird Flu") mix to become a new lethal virus?
As long as the present novel H1N1 virus does not change significantly, the
current pandemic will lead to many deaths, but not on the vast scale of 1918 to
1920 when some 50 to 100 million people died. However, viruses do change;
and a danger is that the easy to transmit novel H1N1 virus will mix with the
H5N1 virus which is much more lethal. This might happen somewhere such as
Indonesia, as its ministers are well aware. The Reuters news service sets out
the position: "Will two flus mix in Indonesia? Experts worry" at:
www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE55S4YE20090629
How serious is the H1N1 pandemic at present?
The current pandemic is slightly more serious than the annual flu, but
threatens different kinds of people. Whereas the current pandemic is
a threat to children and young adults, the annual flu is much more of
a threat to people over 60. This may be because older people have
some immunity to the novel H1N1 virus.
However, even though the novel H1N1 virus has only a moderate
impact, it is not a good idea to try and catch it now, during its first
wave, by holding a "swine flu party," as the Chairman of the British
Medical Association's public health committee, pointed out in a recent
report on BBC News, "Swine flu parties 'a bad idea'" at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8125191.stm
Further information will be added to this website on a regular basis.