WHO Warns Of Severe Form Of Swine Flu

As many of us have been warning from early on in the emergence of this disease, it is a mistake to discount the danger solely based upon the seemingly docile nature of the average infected persons illness. This is because we have known from start that the virus is a recombinant strain, meaning it is particularly likely to mutate in ways for which we are unprepared. And now, it appears a new, more severe form of the illness may be emerging. The article does not make it clear, however, if this is the result of a mutation or if they are simply emphasizing a factor of which we are already aware - that this virus possesses the capability to hit young people very severely and even kill them on occasion.

A quote:
"Doctors are reporting a severe form of swine flu that goes straight to the lungs, causing severe illness in otherwise healthy young people and requiring expensive hospital treatment, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.

Some countries are reporting that as many as 15 percent of patients infected with the new H1N1 pandemic virus need hospital care, further straining already overburdened healthcare systems, WHO said in an update on the pandemic."

Just to clarify, this has the makings (if it continues) to fall perfectly into becoming one of the nightmare scenarios we've talked about from the start: the disease overwhelming the medical establishment. Keep in mind that there are a limited number of ventilators and so, should the number of infected persons in need of help breathing continue to rise, we could see the death toll begin to skyrocket.

Please consider stocking up on a few bottles of cough medication, but I would advise you, in this case, to stay away from the stuff with cough suppressants. Buy the kind with an expectorant instead, as you want to keep your cough loose and productive should you or a loved one come down with this bug.

Here is a great summary of what to look for in both symptoms and treatments.