We offer our prayers and condolences to a Texas family of the first U.S. associated dealth with Swine Flu or H1N1 virus. The small child, told to have recently visited Mexico was only 23months old.
As told, Texas is now known to have 6 of the known 64 U.S. confirmed cases of the Swine Flu to the moment. Our prayers go out to this family this morning as well as to all those still experiencing difficulties with the virus.
Below, I have attached some FAQ's from CNN to help us better understand some of the concerns associated with the virus and some of the things we should be doing as a community as we further engage into the flu remedies.
Throughout your day, please keep this family and all others lifted up before God in humble prayer.
This morning, CNN answers questions from viewers who are concerned about symptoms and their travel history. As we learn more about the swine flu, we are using CNN’s newsgathering resources to help answer some of our viewers’ most frequently asked questions.
Q: How can you tell whether you have a common flu or swine flu?
CNN: The symptoms of the current swine flu and seasonal flu are very similar. Reports suggest that this flu virus may result in nausea, vomiting and diarrhea more often than the typical flu. CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta says doctors in Mexico have reported seeing sudden dizziness as well. There’s no way to tell for sure without getting tested. If you’re feverish or have other flu-like symptoms such as a cough or a sore throat, you should see a doctor.
One positive aspect is that the swine flu cases appeared near the end of influenza season, Dr. Richard Besser, the acting CDC director told a news conference Tuesday. Had the outbreak occurred in January or February, public health officials would have had greater difficulty because of the number of people infected with the common flu.
Q: My family returned from Mexico this week. We aren’t sick, but aren’t sure if we should stay away from other people. Can we spread the virus even if we feel ok?
CNN: In general, people who are not sick probably do not put other people at risk, said Dr. Arthur Reingold, head of epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. There is no recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization that they should be quarantined.
Q: Will the current economic situation make the swine flu outbreak worse because of unemployment or uninsured Americans who may delay going to the doctor because of their current financial situation?
CNN: If more people go untreated because they lack insurance or the money to pay to see a doctor, it would likely cause those people to become sicker than they would have been otherwise. Lack of care would not affect the spread of the disease if those people remained isolated and avoided close contact with others, as the CDC has recommended.
Q: How long can the virus survive on objects? If someone sneezes and touches a grocery cart how will that cart carry the virus?
CNN: The virus survives on surfaces certainly for a number of hours. Even though the virus can survive on surfaces, the likelihood of it being transmitted from one person to another via a phone or surface is slim. It needs to get down into your lungs to make you sick, said Dr. Arthur Reingold, head of epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. “I personally would not have a major fear of environmental contamination,” he said. “Virtually all influenza is transmitted from sneezing and coughing.”
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