At 5.00am on 2 June, the number of people diagnosed with swine flu across the country stood at 401, and there has been at least one reported case in every state and territory. By far the majority of cases are in Victoria (306), followed by New South Wales (64), and Queensland (18).
HealthInsite has a topic page on swine flu (also known as swine influenza, and the Influenza A (H1N1 Virus)).
What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a common respiratory disease in pigs caused by type A Influenza viruses. While there have been cases of transmission to humans from pigs, human to human transmission has been uncommon. Authorities fear that this particular H1N1 sub-type has features that may allow it to pass more easily from human to human and to cause a pandemic.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to those of the human flu that we are familiar with each winter, and include fever, cough, body aches and pains, fatigue, chills, headaches, runny nose, a sore throat, and trouble breathing. Some people have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
Who should you contact?
For generic information, you can contact the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing hotline on 1802007. If you are symptomatic, you should call healthdirect Australia on 1 800 022 222, or contact your GP. If you are seriously unwell with flu-like symptoms and have travelled recently to Mexico, Japan, the USA, Canada, or Panama, or have been in contact with someone who has a confirmed case of swine flu, you should telephone your local hospital (ie. don't just turn up on the doorstep!)
Alternatively, you can get jurisdictional information from your State or Territory health department website:
NSW Health (fact sheets are available in a number of different languages)
ACT Health
Victorian Government Health Information
Queensland Health
WA Health
SA Health
Tasmanian Dept of Health and Human Services
NT Dept of Health and Families
Protecting your family
myDr is another trusted and authoritative HealthInsite Information Partner, and has prepared a comprehensive checklist of measures to take to help prevent you and your family contracting the current swine flu, and other influenzas.
The Commonwealth Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has also published a document on Pandemic Planning in the Workplace that is well worth a look.
Travel Advice
Because swine flu is spreading quite rapidly, you should see the Commonwealth Government's travel advice website: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/.
Are there any treatments?
There are antiviral medicines that are used to treat influenza, and the two that are available here in Australia are Relenza (zanamivir) and Tamiflu (oseltamivir). They are available only with a prescription from a doctor, and can inhibit the severity of the illness as well as preventing more serious complications if taken soon after being infected.
No swine flu vaccine has yet been developed.
