SWINE FLU OUTBREAK !

SWINE FLU OUTBREAK

Just when we had put a dangerous outbreak of avian flu behind us, the recent news of a prominent government official, National Planning Commission Joint Secretary Bhaba Krishna Bhattarai has succumbed to swine flu.So far 17 have been victimized by it this year.

The news has taken the nation by storm. Swine flu has been detected before in Nepal, though it has not been detected in swine.

When it was first discovered in humans in 2009, it caused a nationwide panic, with people coming in droves to get checked for swine flu, and one school in Hetauda even instituting a rule on all students to wear masks. Because swine flu is highly contagious, spreading even from minimal contact and sneezes, the fear that it may become an epidemic was high.

However, times have changed since 2009. In the interim, swine flu has already spread in Nepal. It has become so common in humans that one in every four persons with flu is estimated to have swine flu. Most Nepalis have developed immunity to it, and thus walk around oblivious to the virus in their bodies even though people in many parts of the world continue to die from the flu.

To date, there has not been a single death in Nepal from avian flu, leading to the conclusion that it (avian flu) was effectively contained in Nepal. Bhaba Krishna Bhattarai’s death from swine flu has led to the opposite conclusion, but in fact, Bhattarai had not contracted the flu from local contagions. He had just come back from a trip to the US. And even in 2009, swine flu had been detected in incoming travelers from many different countries.

Though most of us are not in immediate danger from swine flu, it affects different people differently based on individual immunity powers. Children, the elderly, and those already suffering from diseases are vulnerable to it.

To them it may prove fatal, even though swine flu can be easily cured if detected in preliminary stages. Meanwhile, the government has not been proactive in providing the vaccine for swine flu, which have just arrived in the country after several years of order.

A faster reaction to such epidemics is definitely warranted, seeing that the viruses that cause flu mutate into new forms rapidly. A vaccine for one strain may soon be outdated when a newer, vaccine-resistant strain develops. In Nepal, the vaccine for swine flu is still not available over the counter, and though the government has pledged to provide it for free, most people have no idea how to procure it.

There is a need to raise awareness among the public about the danger that swine flu poses to us. Cases of flu and symptoms like fever, runny nose, sore throat, etc should not be taken lightly. But at the same time, it is important to avoid the kind of panic generated in 2009.

The knowledge of antidotes that are available in case the flu becomes serious must be widespread. Though we have relatively little to be afraid of from swine flu, it does not mean that the danger has been completely eliminated.

Precautions to be taken to prevent SWINE FLU

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Stay inside when sick
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
• Washing hands often helps protect one from germs
• Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth
• Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food.

Use mask to prevent SWINE FLU