CDC SWINE FLU

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The CDC have basically said that they expect people to die from this latest epidemic of  Influenza A - H1N1, better known as Swine Flu.

Although worries about the severity of the swine flu outbreak are subsiding, they say that a worldwide pandemic can still be expected. The outbreak they say will spread across many countries.

Dr. Richard Besser, who at present is theacting director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,(CDC) said that the World Health Organization will almost certainly raise its global warning, possibly to a LEVEL 6.

The WHO’s scale which is in 6 stages,was last week raised to phase 5,  mainly due to the speed the illness has travelled worldwide, rather than the severity. Six would be the highest level it could be.

In the US the severity is mild but Besser says that it is not a time to become complacent. Putting Swine Flu on a stage 6 warning is not done lightly. As the virus spreads globally we need to have "respect for the virus" he says.

There are around 1,500 probable and confirmed cases of Swine Influenza in 44 states of the US. In this figure are 850 suspected and nearly 650 confirmed cases. This number has increased by 400 in 2 days.

The CDC has confirmed 35 people have been hospitalized with the Influenza A - H1N1 strain of swine flu. There have been 2 deaths in the US, including one in Texas last Tuesday.