800,000 contracted H1N1 in New York

Head of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in U.S., Dr. Thomas Frieden, informed that a survey has been conducted on New York people, and its findings suggest that the virus is widely spread in the city, infecting many.

“In New York City where we had a lot of H1N1 this last spring the estimate is about 800,000 people, about 10 percent of New York City residents, got infected with the flu,” said Frieden in an interview Sunday. “That's a lot of people,” he added.

H1N1 CDC's No. 1 priority
Since its outbreak in the country of Mexico, swine flu has endangered lot many lives across the globe. This menace has so far infected more than 1 million people across the U.S. continent itself, and has lately became CDC's top priority for curbing the lethal virus.

According to the World Health Organizations, one third of the hoi poloi across the globe will be affected by the A(H1N1) influenza.

The lethal virus is spreading its wings in all the possible directions and is in no mood to relent. The health experts are expecting a resurgence of the virus in the northern hemisphere during the month of autumn, as the temperature will be appropriate for infectious virus to breed under. Moreover, the schools will reopen after summer holidays.

Swine flu precautions
In order to tackle the swine flu problem, experts at University Health Services discussed various ways to curb the virus at an information session held on Thursday.

UHS executive director, Dr. Sarah Van Orman, said that she wanted to inform masses on how to minimize the impact and spread of the disease.

Dr. Van Orman said that along with students, pregnant women and those with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk for contracting the virus. They should, therefore, take extra precautions in order to fight the disease.

Frequently washing hands, coughing and sneezing into their arm folds and keeping hands away from eyes, nose and mouth, can prevent masses from contracting the influenza.

“Medical conditions that we’re focusing on are diabetes, asthma and underlying medical conditions where there’s some degree of suppression or general weakness of the immune system,” Van Orman said.

“Students who are not able to (go home) are going to be isolated within their rooms—food will be delivered, they’re going to be asked to wear a mask when they move to the restroom,” she added.

Seasonal flu menace
A normal regular flu infects about five percent to 20 percent of the total population each year, killing between 250,000 to 500,000 people globally.

Because hardly anyone has developed immunity against the new virus, experts predict that it will infect far more people than usual.

A two-dose vaccine intended to prevent the disease is expected to be ready by mid-October.

The study report is due to be released in the country by the end of this week.