Swine flu is back. It’s not the news anyone wanted following a global Covid pandemic, but today the first case of new swine flu strain H1N2 was confirmed in the UK – right here in Yorkshire.
Influenza A (H1N2)v or Swine Flu as it’s commonly known is a respiratory virus which originates in pigs (ie, swine) and made the jump to humans and now transmits from person to person like any other bug. Now people are searching for the key symptoms of the illness to look out for.
A case was confirmed in North Yorkshire today of the new H1N2 strain. It was detected as part of routine national flu surveillance undertaken by UKHSA and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). The person was tested by their GP in North Yorkshire after experiencing respiratory symptoms.
Swine flu is particularly dangerous to young children who won’t have the same developed immune system as adults to be able to fight H1N2.
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According to Great Ormond Street Hospital, the leading children’s hospital in the UK, anybody can catch swine flu but you can only catch it from someone who already has it.
If a child starts to feel unwell, they must tell an adult as soon as possible.
The key symptom of swine flu is a temperature of 38C (or 100.4F).
Other symptoms include:
- a cough
- sore throat
- aching body
- headache
- feel chilly
- feel very tired
There might also be diarrhoea and vomiting.
Instead of going to the doctor, because swine flu is highly contagious, a parents should get advice from a place called The National Pandemic Flu Service. You can visit the website or call 0800 1 513 100.
Great Ormond Street adds: “Swine flu can be treated by taking a special medicine called an antiviral. When a child is diagnosed by the flu service, they will be given a special number which their parent can take to a collection centre to get the medicine. The medicine is called Tamiflu.
“If a child has swine flu they cannot go to school and should rest at home until they are completely better.
“Anybody who has seen the news reports on swine flu will know that it is causing a lot of worry and panic. This is mainly because it is a new illness and so a lot of people do not know what to expect.”
In 2009, a total of 284,000 people died in the last Swine Flu pandemic, which was the previous H1N1 strain. Of course, there’s no suggestion at this moment in time that a pandemic of that level will recur.
Medical experts have advised that people take precautions including washing hands thoroughly, eating fresh fruit and veg to keep healthy, staying away from others who have colds or flu and getting lots of sleep to keep immune system strength high.
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