While yesterday’s death is upsetting, the current H1N1 strain is no more deadly than seasonal influenza
THE FIRST death in the Republic of a person with influenza (H1N1), while upsetting, should not cause undue alarm.
With a confirmed mortality rate of between 0.3 and 0.4 per cent, the swine flu is no more deadly than seasonal influenza. However, while winter flu poses a greater risk to people over 65, the current H1N1 strain is most prevalent in younger people and also affects pregnant women.
A young person with an underlying chronic illness such as yesterday’s victim is unfortunately in a group most likely to suffer complications from the novel infection.
We know the young woman was not cared for in intensive care. This was probably due to a combination of her family’s wishes and her underlying condition. She may have had cystic fibrosis, diabetes or any one of a number of chronic diseases affecting the heart, the kidneys or other vital organs.
Whatever the condition it would have left her vulnerable to the additional strain placed on her body by a severe case of swine flu.
Her unfortunate death will not change the management of the disease in this country. Most of us will be diagnosed on clinical grounds, with a family doctor making the diagnosis based on a medical history and examination. The vast majority of those infected will experience a mild flu and will not require anti-viral medication such as Tamiflu or Relenza. They will be advised to rest and to take plenty of fluids. A high fever and aches are best treated with paracetamol.
How might you feel if you are developing swine flu? A key aspect of influenza infection compared with the common cold or other respiratory viruses is the rapidity with which symptoms materialise. Within several hours a victim can go from feeling well to developing extreme tiredness, muscle ache, cough and a temperature in excess of 38 degrees Celsius. They may not get all the symptoms listed, but can expect to have two from the following list in addition to a high temperature: tiredness, headache, runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, muscle aches, diarrhoea and vomiting.
If you are pregnant, have a sick child less than one year old, or your condition suddenly deteriorates, you should contact your doctor immediately.
This advice also applies if your symptoms continue to get worse seven days after the onset of your illness. And if you have a serious underlying illness such as chronic heart, lung, heart or neurological disease, then do seek medical advice if you have flu-like symptoms.
The vast majority of people who do require anti-viral treatment will get better without needing hospitalisation. And most of those who do require hospital care because of complications such as pneumonia will leave hospital after treatment. However, a small number of people will die from H1N1 influenza, just as some people die every winter from regular flu.
A person with H1N1 flu is contagious from about one day before symptoms begin to seven days after they become ill. The best way to reduce the risk of spreading influenza is to observe strict hand hygiene and to use disposable tissues which should be destroyed after a single use.