There are new strains of flu viruses discovered every year. When a new flu virus appears, people are unlikely to be immune to the new strain, meaning it is likely to spread quickly and become a global pandemic. Globally, alert levels have risen to level 6 as the H1N1 swine flu influenza has now become a pandemic.
The spread of swine Flu
Swine flu spreads in the same was as an ordinary cold or common flu.
Flu viruses are made up of tiny particles which spread through the air from the nose and mouth when somebody coughs or sneezes. When a person does not cover their face when they sneeze, those particles can spread up to 1m in the air. Any human in close proximity to somebody sneezing could breathe in the Swine Flu virus.
A human hand will not protect the spreading of the swine flu disease beacause the droplets are spread on surfaces and from human contact. The Swine flu virus, once passed onto household surfaces can survive for hours so it is important to clean your hands regularly and use a tissue. You can easily become infected with swine flu by touching any of the infected surfaces, this can allow the swine flu virus to enter your system.
If you want more information on the symptoms of swine flu then see our symptoms page. |
