Swine flu has been noted in countries across the world, including the United States. As of April 29, there were approximately 90 cases confirmed in the U.S., while in Mexico (where the cases are thought to have originated), reports of anywhere from approximately 50 to around 150 deaths are thought to be directly related to the flu.

"There is certainly a cause for concern," said Wendy Macey, PA-C. Macey is the current vice-president of the Association of Family Practice Physician Assistants. "The outcome of this situation is unknown, but as medical professionals, we are hopeful that people will adopt some healthier practices as a result."

These healthier practices include thorough hand washing. "People always whine about how cliché hand washing is!" Macey exclaimed. "But it's a cliché because it's true." For the best results, Macey advises to get the water as hot as you can stand it, and wash up for 30 seconds.

"The other best way to prevent the spread of illness is to stay home if you are ill," Macey stated. "Don't go to work. Don't send your children to school. It's better to miss a couple of days of work then to infect your entire office." While admitting that missing work is usually easier said than done, Macey pointed out that people typically recover much faster when taking a couple of days to fully rest.

"Patients will sometimes complain of colds that linger on and on," Macey said. "I believe that if they took a couple of days off at the beginning, they would have found that they would have recovered much more quickly."

Initially developing in Mexico, swine flu has rapidly spread throughout the world, with approximately 50 cases in the United States as of April 28. However, it has only been deadly to those in Mexico - all other cases have been reported as mild, with most the patients recovering spontaneously. "The World Health Organization has informed citizens to be aware that a pandemic is quite possible," Macey warned. "But I think we're all cautiously optimistic that any impact of the swine flu will be minimal throughout the world."

Source
The Association of Family Practice Physician Assistants

See our Map Of H1N1 Outbreaks

See our Mexico Swine Flu Blog