What is the Flu?

The Flu is an illness that is caused by a several different influenza viruses.  There are currently two strains of flu circulating in the United States. One is the seasonal flu and the other is the one we've also heard about which is the H1N1 (Swine) flu. But beware because there is also a third highly lethal one that is closely being tracked overseas called the H5N1 (Bird) flu.  When you get the Flu, it can give you a number of symptoms and effects, ranging from mild to lethal.

Shop for Blood Pressure Monitors. Lumiscope Blood Pressure Monitors are available at our Store!

What are the symptoms?

There are several flu symptoms that you need to look out for which include sore throat, coughing, runny or stuffy nose, fever, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue. With the H1N1 (Swine) flu infection, you may also experience diarrhea and vomiting.

Can you recover from the Flu?

The majority of people that are healthy recover from the flu without any problems. But there are other people such as infants and pregnant women that are at high risk for serious complications.

Can the Flu occur anytime during the year?

There are annual outbreaks of the seasonal flu that normally occur during the late fall through early spring.

 

About how many people get the flu?

Research shows that during a typical year, approximately 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the seasonal flu and that there are an astonishing 36,000 flu-related deaths in the United States.

Can the H1N1 (Swine) flu re-appear?

Yes. It is reported that this year, the H1N1 flu virus will re-appear causing a more dangerous flu season . There will be many more people getting sick with the H1N1 flu virus and more being hospitalized and dying than during a regular flu season.

Is the H1N1 (Swine Flu) contagious?

Yes it is. This virus is contagious and easily spreads from person to person. But just like the seasonal flu, the illness that people experience with the H1N1 flu depends on each individual which will vary from mild to severe.

What is a flu pandemic and is there one occurring now?

A flu pandemic occurs when when a new influenza A virus emerges and there is hardly any immunity in the human population. This new virus will cause serious illness in people and easily spreads worldwide from person to person. As a matter of fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on June 11, 2009, that a global pandemic of H1N1 (Swine) flu is underway.

What about the H5N1 (Bird) Flu?

Oh man, the H5N1 (Bird) flu is an influenza A virus subtype which is highly contagious among birds. Hence, the nickname Bird Flu. But the H5N1 (Bird) flu rarely occurs among humans. But some humans have contracted it with the majority of confirmed cases occurring in Africa, the Pacific, Asia, Europe and the Near East. At this point, the United States does not have any confirmed human cases of H5N1 flu infections. But officials are keeping an eye on it because the H5N1 (Bird) flu remains to be a serious concern that has to potential of causing a deadly pandemic.