What is Swine Flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease affecting pigs. This is caused by type A influenza virus. The swine influenza is also known as H1N1 Influenza A virus.
Where was Swine Flu detected?
It was detected in Mexico and the United States (US).
Which countries have cases of the swine flu?
New York, California, Kansas and Texas in the United States, and the state of Nova Scotia in Canada.
Is Swine Flu deadly?
Swine flu causes high levels of illness but low death rates in pigs.
How does Swine Flu spread?
Swine Influenza may have been transmitted from infected human cases to contacts via respiratory secretions, e.g. saliva and nasal secretions.
Does Swine flu affect humans?
Swine flu usually occurs in persons with direct exposure to pigs. However, there are also cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu.
How can human infected with swine flu be diagnosed?
A respiratory specimen needs to be collected and sent for diagnostic testing.
What are the signs and symptoms of Swine Influenza?
The signs and symptoms are similar to seasonal influenza, for instance, fever, chills, sore throat, runny nose, cough, headaches and body aches.
Can people catch Swine Flu from eating pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. Eating properly handled and cooked pork is safe. Such can be done by heating it to an internal temperature of 70°C and above. This helps to kill the swine flu virus.
What medications are available to treat swine flu infection in humans?
Swine flu can be treated with antiviral drugs. At this time, the US CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®) for treatment and prevention of infection with swine flu.
The current strain of swine flu is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. Thus, treatment with these two drugs does not prove to be beneficial.
What can I do to protect myself from falling sick?
Take every effort to maintain personal hygiene.
Such includes covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Also, wash your hands with soap and water often.
Do avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Avoid close contact with sick people.
Maintain limited contact with others if you are sick.

What is the Disease Outbreak Response System Alert status in Singapore?
Currently, the alert status is orange.
What are the measures that the Singapore government is taking now?
The government will issue a home quarantine order (HQO) to people with a travel history to Mexico over the past seven days.
Those affected will be required to be quarantined for seven days when they enter Singapore.
In the interim, the MOH will conduct phone notification and surveillance for those who have arrived from Mexico in the past seven days.
People who are returning from other areas with evidence of community transmission of the H1N1 virus are advised to stay at home for seven days upon return and check themselves for symptoms of flu-like illness. They are also advised to avoid public spaces.
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