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| UNHCC - Influenza A H1N1 For medical help or to report suspected cases call the hotlines below: 0115-440-445 What is influenza A H1N1? Influenza A H1N1 is a disease that is caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system. Can I get influenza A from eating or preparing pork? No! Influenza A viruses are not spread by food. There is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. How does influenza A spread? Influenza A spreads mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people infected. People may also get infected from contamination i.e. by touching something that carries the viruses and then touching their mouth or nose. Wash your hands frequently to reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces. For how long is influenza A a risk? Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 days or more after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. What are the signs and symptoms of influenza A? The signs and symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with influenza A. If you see these symptoms, seek medical help immediately. What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
How dangerous is influenza A? It's not known at this time how sever this virus will be in the general population. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women and people of any age with chronic medical conditions. Is there treatment for influenza A? There is no vaccine available right now to protect against influenza A. Antiviral drugs keep flu viruses from reproducing and can make your illness milder, and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious complications. Seek medical attention if you develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness. For more information go to WHO Influenza A H1N1 site: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
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