The virus which is called Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 is a strain of influenza A which can be transmitted from person to person. New strains of seasonal influenza A circulate every year in flu season.It is very important for citizens to continue to practice good hand hygiene to reduce the spread of the virus.
Symptoms of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza infection and include:
- Adult: acute onset of new cough or change in existing cough, plus one or more of the following:
- fever (> 38C on arrival or by history)
- sore throat
- joint pain
- muscle aches
- severe exhaustion
- Pediatric: acute onset of any of the following symptoms:
- runny nose
- cough
- sneezing
- with or without fever
Some people with Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea in addition to a cough and fever symptoms. The vast majority of cases have recovered completely.
Help prevent the spread of pandemic H1N1 influenza virus:
- Stay home from work/school if you are sick and avoid public places.
- One of the best ways to prevent influenza is to get the influenza vaccine every year.
H1N1 vaccination is still available from Alberta Health Services. For details and locations, check out the AHS website: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/
- Clean hands frequently, especially after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. Wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Cough or sneeze into your sleeve rather than your hand.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth after shaking hands or touching hard surfaces like counters and door handles or other surfaces that may contain influenza and other viruses.
- Stay at least two metres (six feet) away from people who are experiencing influenza-like symptoms. This is called social distancing and includes staying away from crowds when influenza is circulating in the community.
- Other steps to keep yourself healthy include:
- Healthy eating
- Maintaining an active lifestyle
- Getting enough rest and sleep
