Human Swine Flu is officially called H1N1 Influenza 09.

It is a new strain of human flu affecting people in many countries around the world, including Australia.

Because it is a new virus spreading from human-to-human in many parts of the world, and causing many people to get sick, the World Health Organisation has said we are experiencing a pandemic.

At this stage it looks like the pandemic will be moderate in its severity.

Globally, the illness is spreading. As of 15 June 2009, 76 countries have officially reported 35, 928 cases of H1N1 Influenza 09 infection, including 163 deaths.

These numbers only include people with laboratory-confirmed diagnoses that have been reported to the World Health Organisation. The true picture of how many cases there are is not known.

Despite significant effort to slow the spread of the virus in Tasmania, the number of people affected is increasing daily. This is to be expected at the start of a pandemic.

Slowing the spread of flu is important while we wait for vaccine to be available. Widespread illness would have a significant impact on the health sector and workplaces.

The virus appears to affect mostly young people under the age of 25 years.

Some people have a severe illness, and some have died. Those at risk of severe illness include pregnant women, people (children and adults) with asthma or other chronic illnesses and people who are morbidly (significantly) obese.

Around the world, most people who have had severe illness have been between the ages of 30 and 50 years.

Most people with H1N1 Influenza 09 get better after a few days at home. Most will not need to see a doctor, be tested or have antivirals.

Some people have a severe illness. Those at risk of severe illness include pregnant women, people (children and adults) with asthma or other chronic illnesses and people who are morbidly (significantly) obese.

If you are concerned about your (or your child’s) flu symptoms or if you are in a high risk group, phone 1800 FLU DOC (1800 358 362) for advice and assessment. You will be given advice about what to do and where to go for help.

It is especially important to seek medical advice if you are having trouble catching your breath, if your condition gets worse, you are coughing up phlegm or if you continue to have a high fever despite taking paracetamol or ibuprofen.

There is a lot we still don’t know about this virus, because it is new. We are assuming around 20% of Australia’s population will get sick at some point during the next 12 weeks.

Experts are worried illness will become widespread.

If it becomes widespread, even if only a small proportion of people get seriously ill, that will be a lot of people.

Widespread illness would also have a big impact on our health system, workplaces and our community in general.

H1N1 Influenza 09 spreads from person to person in the same way as seasonal flu and other common respiratory illnesses.

This is mostly in two ways:

1. Breathing in droplets from an infected person’s uncovered cough or sneeze. (An uncovered cough can spread droplets up to a metre away.)
2. Touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your mouth, eyes, nostrils or anything that goes in your mouth. (Influenza viruses can survive on hard surfaces for up to 48 hours.)

Flu spreads up to a day before symptoms appear. This means you can catch the flu from someone even before that person notices they are sick.

You can phone 1800 FLU DOC (1800 358 362) if you are worried about your symptoms or think you need to see a doctor. Its especially important to seek advice if you are pregnant, have asthma, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, renal disease, immunity problems or are morbidly (significantly) obese.

Phoning for advice helps to

1. Make sure people who think they may have symptoms of flu receive the best possible advice quickly, including how to protect others
2. Slow the spread of illness - by directing potentially infected people to the appropriate place for assessment
3. Minimise pressure on GPs, hospitals and other primary health care providers by reducing direct visits and diverting enquiries.

It’s important that children with flu-like symptoms (fever with cough and/or sore throat) stay home from school or child care for at least seven days, and until they are fully recovered.

Can my child leave home if have flu symptoms?

Children who are experiencing flu-like illness should stay at home as much as possible, and away from other children.

A key reason for sick children staying home is to avoid the need for a whole school to close.

The spread and impact of the virus in Tasmania is being closely monitored.

Any decision to close a school or childcare centre would be made very carefully.

Please stay home from work if you have flu symptoms (fever with cough and/or sore throat).

While at work and in public please follow the simple but effective ways to slow the spread of flu all the time.

If you start to develop flu symptoms while at work or in public, move away from others, take extra care to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and put the used tissue in the rubbish straight away (don’t keep the flu in your pocket). If you don’t have a tissue, use the inside of your elbow to cover your cough.

1. Know the signs of flu. The flu comes on suddenly. Its main symptoms are fever (high temperature) with cough and/or sore throat.

2. Use your phone. If you or your child are worried about your symptoms phone 1800 358 362 (1800 FLU DOC). This is especially important if you are pregnant or have asthma, chronic obstructive airways disease (COAD), heart disease, diabetes, renal disease, immunity problems or if you are morbidly (significantly) obese. 

3. Stay home. If you or your child has flu symptoms, stay home and away from others until you are fully recovered. This is important for all types of flu.

4. Keep your distance. Try to stand back from other people at work and in public. Try to keep a distance of one metre, or a very large step.

5. Always cover your cough or sneeze. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or even your arm, rather than your hands which can easily spread germs. Put dirty tissues in the rubbish straight away. (Don’t keep the flu in your pocket).

6. Always wash your hands with soap and water (or an alcohol-based hand rub) before touching your mouth, nose, eyes or anything that goes in your mouth. (Your hands could have picked up the flu virus from something you touched).

The 2009 seasonal flu vaccine works against the three strains of flu viruses that experts predicted would have most impact in Australia in the 2009 season. This does not include H1N1 Influenza 09 because this is a new strain of flu virus.

Seasonal flu vaccine is still highly recommended because it will help minimise the amount of influenza in our community. This will help protect our workers, minimise the impact on the health sector and reduce confusion between the different types of influenza.

It will take some months for vaccine to be developed and to be available in large enough quantities to immunise the whole community.

Anti-viral drugs work against viruses like antibiotics work against bacteria. Just as with antibiotics, different types of antivirals work best against different viruses. 

There are two types of antiviral drugs currently working against H1N1 Influenza 09. These are Tamiflu and Relenza.

Tamiflu can be used by people aged 12 months and older. Relenza can be used by people aged 5 years and older.

Antivirals are an important way to manage illness caused by H1N1 Influenza 09 in people who have severe illness or who are at risk of severe illness. They must be used carefully, to minimise the risk of the virus becoming resistant to antiviruals.

Frequent hand hygiene, keeping a large step from others in public and at work, and covering coughs and sneezes are more important than antivirals.