The most common symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu, including fever, weakness and fatigue and aching muscles and joints, although, these could be more severe. Certain people are most at risk, including pregnant women, the elderly and young children and people with underlying health conditions.
What is swine flu and how serious is it?
A new strain of Influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu, was confirmed in the UK in April and has spread to nearly 200 countries around the world.
Although symptoms have generally proved mild, a small number of patients will develop more serious illness. Many of these people have other underlying health conditions, such as heart or lung disease, that put them at increased risk.
Symptoms
Check your symptoms
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal flu and include:- fever
- lack of energy
- lack of appetite
- coughing
Some people with swine flu also have reported:
- runny nose
- sore throat
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
As with any sort of influenza, how bad and how long the symptoms last will depend on treatment and the patient’s individual circumstances.
Who is at risk?
Some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu. It is vital that people in these higher risk groups get anti-viral drugs and start taking them as soon as possible – within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Health authorities are still learning about the swine flu virus, but the following people are known to be at higher risk:
- pregnant women
- people aged 65 years and older
- young children under five years old
People suffering from the following illnesses are also at increased risk:
- chronic lung disease
- chronic heart disease
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic liver disease
- chronic neurological disease
- Immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment)
- Diabetes mellitus
- patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years
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