As of May 11, 2009, 30 countries have officially reported 4,694 cases of the H1N1 flu.  With the exception of the outbreak in Mexico, which is still not fully understood, the H1N1 virus tends to cause very mild illness in otherwise healthy people. Outside Mexico, nearly all cases of illness, and all deaths, have been detected in people with underlying chronic conditions.

Although the outbreak has continued to grow at a relatively slow pace, it lacks what is referred to as "efficient and sustained human-to-human transmission" to be categorized as a level 6 or pandemic event by the World Health Organization (WHO).  The severity of the illness continues to be mild, and death or prolonged morbidity has become the exception, rather than the rule.

Many communities have developed the following protocols to assist people in determining whether individuals should be evaluated by a physician for an H1N1 assessment.  The three most important criteria are:

1. Has the swine flu been documented in the community?
2. Is there a documented fever of greater than 100 degrees F (37.8 C)?
3. Did the illness start abruptly (e.g., went from feeling well to quite ill in the matter of a few hours)?

If all three of these are present, it is recommended you contact your healthcare provider for further guidance.  Otherwise, get some rest, stay well hydrated and use common medications as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Please continue to check EGA’s website, http://www.ega-inc.com/, for updates to this situation.  As experts in pandemic flu preparedness, EGA can assist you with any questions you have about preparing your organization for a pandemic.