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The current swine flu seems to have a lengthy incubation period according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO reports that the total number of laboratory confirmed cases worldwide is currently around 2000 and that this flu has a long incubation period of a week to 10 days before symptoms begin. This means that the virus can be spread by people who don’t even know that they are sick yet.
WHO released a news bulletin today stating that if the current H1N1 flu virus becomes a pandemic over 2 billion people could be affected. The agency said that pandemics normally last 2 years and previous experience shows that 1/3 of the world’s population is usually affected.
Today in Mexico, which has had the most number of cases, all businesses and schools were opened for the first time in 2 weeks as they believe the number of infections is on the decline.
WHO further reports that they are unable to predict whether this current epidemic will turn into a worldwide pandemic. It could just turn into a mild strain of the flu and not become severe. But they caution that even with a mild flu, a large number of people with respiratory problems can die from the flu. People react differently depending on their general health.
Younger people in the Southern Hemisphere may be especially vulnerable because of malnourishment, wars, HIV infections and other factors. This can mean that a mild virus in wealthier countries can be very severe in developing countries.
In Mexico it seems that this flu might have reached its peak. As of May 6th, they have currently 1112 laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 flu with 42 deaths. In the United States, the number of laboratory confirmed cases is 896 in 41 states with 2 deaths reported in the state of Texas.
The following countries have reported confirmed cases with no deaths – Austria (1), Canada (201), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (5), Germany (9), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (5), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (5), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (2), Spain (73), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (28).
WHO has raised its pandemic alert level to 5 meaning that this virus spreads between humans and has spread to at least two countries and that a worldwide epidemic is imminent. But as of now they have been unable to determine the severity or fatality rate with this virus. The World Health Organization currently advises no restrictions on travel or border closings. Humans can not get this virus from eating pork or pork products. This virus is not a food born disease.
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