Flag of the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization (WHO) is a program of the United Nations and a global authority on human health. In an interview with Wikinews, the WHO tells about the current H1N1 pandemic . Current disease activity and epidemiological activity indicates we are seeing the highest levels of activities occurring in Southeast Asia, West Africa, and in the tropical zone of the Americas. After a period of sustained pandemic influenza transmission in Thailand over the past two months, overall activity now appears to be decreasing. In West Africa, limited data suggests that active transmission of pandemic influenza virus persists without clear evidence of a peak in activity. In Central America and in the tropical zone of South America, an increasing trend of respiratory disease activity associated with circulation of pandemic influenza virus has been reported since early March 2010 in an increasing number of countries. The H1N1 virus. What advice does the WHO recommend to any areas affected by H1N1? What does the WHO recommend to governments' health authorities of countries affected? Anti-viral drugs (which are medicines that act directly on viruses to stop them from multiplying) should not be taken to prevent H1N1. There are two antiviral drugs are being used to treat pandemic influenza infections. These are oseltamivir and zanamivir, which both block the action of an influenza virus protein called neuraminidase . Signs of the pandemic influenza are flu-like, including malaise , fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea . Supportive care at home with plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids and using a pain reliever for aches and pains is adequate for recovery in most cases. A non-aspirin pain reliever should be used for children or adolescents under age 18. pregnant women; infants, and young children particularly under age 2; people of any age with certain chronic health conditions (including asthma or lung disease, heart disease, diabetes ,  kidney disease or some neurological conditions); people with severely compromised immune systems. Influenza viruses constantly change through a process called antigenic drift . All influenza viruses undergo this process but there is no way to predict if, when and how the pandemic H1N1 virus will shift. The overall impact of the pandemic has been moderate and most people experienced mild symptoms or illness. However, some groups are more vulnerable and have a higher risk of complications or severe illness, for example pregnant women, infants, young children and people with chronic diseases. Many of the severe cases have been due to viral pneumonia , which is harder to treat than the bacterial pneumonia normally associated with seasonal influenza. Many of these patients have required intensive care, which has led to intensive care units being frequently overwhelmed at the peak of the outbreak. Most of the deaths caused by the pandemic influenza disease occurred among younger people than is the case during seasonal influenza outbreaks, including among those who were previously healthy. To protect people from infection and avoid related severe outcomes, the H1N1 vaccine is an important public health tool as long as the pandemic H1N1 virus is circulating and causing illness. Since September 2009, more than 75 Member States and territories have implemented immunization programmes, and 290 million doses of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccine have been administered.
Flag of the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization (WHO) is a program of the United Nations and a global authority on human health. In an interview with Wikinews, the WHO tells about the current . Current disease activity and epidemiological activity indicates we are seeing the highest levels of activities occurring in Southeast Asia, West Africa, and in the tropical zone of the Americas. After a period of sustained pandemic influenza transmission in Thailand over the past two months, overall activity now appears to be decreasing. In West Africa, limited data suggests that active transmission of pandemic influenza virus persists without clear evidence of a peak in activity. In Central America and in the tropical zone of South America, an increasing trend of respiratory disease activity associated with circulation of pandemic influenza virus has been reported since early March 2010 in an increasing number of countries. The H1N1 virus. What advice does the WHO recommend to any areas affected by H1N1? What does the WHO recommend to governments' health authorities of countries affected? (which are medicines that act directly on viruses to stop them from multiplying) should not be taken to prevent H1N1. There are two antiviral drugs are being used to treat pandemic influenza infections. These are oseltamivir and zanamivir, which both block the action of an influenza virus protein called . Signs of the pandemic influenza are flu-like, including , fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting and . Supportive care at home with plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids and using a pain reliever for aches and pains is adequate for recovery in most cases. A non- pain reliever should be used for children or adolescents under age 18. pregnant women; infants, and young children particularly under age 2; people of any age with certain chronic health conditions (including or , , , kidney disease or some neurological conditions); people with severely compromised immune systems. Influenza viruses constantly change through a process called . All influenza viruses undergo this process but there is no way to predict if, when and how the pandemic H1N1 virus will shift. The overall impact of the pandemic has been moderate and most people experienced mild symptoms or illness. However, some groups are more vulnerable and have a higher risk of complications or severe illness, for example pregnant women, infants, young children and people with chronic diseases. Many of the severe cases have been due to , which is harder to treat than the bacterial pneumonia normally associated with seasonal influenza. Many of these patients have required intensive care, which has led to intensive care units being frequently overwhelmed at the peak of the outbreak. Most of the deaths caused by the pandemic influenza disease occurred among younger people than is the case during seasonal influenza outbreaks, including among those who were previously healthy. To protect people from infection and avoid related severe outcomes, the H1N1 vaccine is an important public health tool as long as the pandemic H1N1 virus is circulating and causing illness. Since September 2009, more than 75 Member States and territories have implemented immunization programmes, and 290 million doses of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccine have been administered.
D
H1N1 pandemic
D
Anti-viral drugs
D
neuraminidase
D
malaise
D
diarrhoea
R
non-aspirin
non-
R
asthma or lung disease, heart disease, diabetes
or
A
, ,
D
antigenic drift
D
viral pneumonia