Swine Flu: When SHOULD You Panic?!?

It's hard to deny the growing frenzy accompanying the growing number of cases of swine flu being reported in the U.S. and Mexico each day. According to today's WHO (World Health Organization) update, there are now 40 confirmed cases in the U.S., 6 in Canada, 1 in Spain, and 26 in Mexico. Seven deaths due to confirmed swine flu have occurred in Mexico, but none elsewhere. The director-general of the WHO has raised the pandemic alert from Level 3 to Level 4.

The big question on everyone's mind is when to start worrying.

The WHO defines a pandemic (or global disease outbreak) based on three conditions:

1. The virus has to infect and cause serious illness in humans.

So far, the confirmed cases in the U.S., Canada, and Spain have been mild, with only one individual requiring hospitalization. All sickened people in the U.S. have recovered, according to a press briefing from the CDC today. In Mexico, where at least seven swine flu-associated deaths have occurred and up to 149 suspected, many of the deaths occurred in people who waited until the late stages of disease before seeking medical attention. In addition, more fatalities may be occuring in parts of Mexico that have poor nutrition levels, poor air quality, and limited access to health care.

2. Humans will not have immunity against the virus.

Unfortunately, this condition has been met because this strain of swine flu virus is a new one to which most people do not have immunity. However, efforts to develop and produce a swine flu vaccine are undoubtedly underway and represent a feasible achievement in the coming months.

3. The virus has to spread easily from person-to-person and be able to survive within humans.

Whether or not the current swine flu virus spreads easily from person-to-person is still being evaluated. The vast majority of cases appear to be spread from person-to-person, since most or the infected Americans have not been in contact with pigs in whom the virus is normally harbored. However, whether the disease is spread "easily" or requires other elements has not been determined yet.

So what does this all mean? In short, pandemic condition #2 has been met, #3 has likely been met, and the jury is still out on #1.

Yikes! Sound scary? But, wait...

If the situation turns into a pandemic, should you panic? Absolutely not. If a pandemic should occur, Americans are well educated and well informed enough to know how to handle the situation. We have resources through radio, television, and the internet to keep us updated on symptoms to watch out for and treatment options that are available. We know where local outbreaks are happening, and when to seek medical advice. These resources were either unavailable or far less sophisticated during past influenza epidemics. (Believe it or not, there was no internet during the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918. We've come a long way...)

To sum it up, stay tuned and stay informed.