Just six days after an outbreak of Swine flu in Mexico the World Health Organisation has put nations on alert of a global flu pandemic by raising its alert level to 5- imminent (Level 6 is the highest).
Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which infects pigs. There are many types, and the infection is constantly changing. Until now it has not normally infected humans, but the latest form clearly does, and there is confirmed evidence of transmission from person to person - probably through coughing and sneezing.
Flu viruses have the ability to swap genetic components with each other, and it seems likely that the new version resulted from a mixing of different versions of the virus, probably developing in farming communities where pigs and poultry are reared together. Pigs provide an excellent vessel for these viruses to mix and match with each other. In an attempt to control the spread a number of countries are implementing a pig culling programme.
Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue. It is worth remembering that seasonal flu often poses a serious threat to public health: each year it kills 250,000 - 500,000 around the world. So far, most cases of swine flu appear to be mild. But lives have been lost in Mexico.
Even if the pandemic does not materialise in the UK now , there is a high possibility that the virus could mutate and return in our winter.
Recognising the potential effects on the pig meat industry, pressure is mounting to change the name of the pandemic to 'novel' or 'Mexican flu'