Truth Regarding Flu Outbreaks
The harsh reality regarding flu outbreaks is that it can really happen, as proven by the recent A/H1N1 or swine flu that infected millions of people around the world. But even though the virus that caused the recent flu aren’t as deadly as the scientists thought it would be, there is a possibility that a stronger and meaner virus will cause more destructive flu outbreaks.
It is a grim reality that the flu has been responsible for millions of deaths over history. Just take a look at the 1918 Spanish flu. It was so deadly that it killed almost 20 percent of the population of the countries affected, if a similar strain would happen to surface now it would only take a matter of days for the virus to cause outbreaks all over the world, thanks to easily accessible air travel. It’s scary to think that you are now living in an age where pandemics like deadly outbreaks are very much possible.
How do flu outbreaks start?
The flu virus can jump from country to country because of air and sea travel. You cannot actually tell if a person is newly infected. The incubation period of the flu virus is usually 1 to 4 days, only after this time will the person start exhibiting the signs of the sickness. A person may still be allowed to travel to other places if the virus isn’t fully incubated yet, this often happens when the person has already arrived at his destination and thus start flu outbreaks left and right. Outbreaks occur when the virus from one infected individual somehow finds its way to infect others. This is repeated over and over again until at last they become full blown for outbreaks.
The fight against flu outbreaks
It’s also not helping the fight against the flu that the sad fact that even though vaccines are being developed to combat the current viruses causing outbreaks, the viruses constantly mutate, building up a resistance to the vaccines. And it’s also not a comforting thought that the amount of the currently manufactured vaccines these days are not enough to treat the millions being affected by the flu worldwide. And these vaccines that may help prevent outbreaks aren’t cheap; most people simply cannot afford them.
It’s rather unsettling to know that the numbers of flu outbreaks are steadily growing. In the recent couple of years, there have been at least 6 major flu outbreaks, all caused by new and more infectious strains of the flu virus. It is fortunate though that with the help of today’s medicines, the number of casualties in flu outbreaks aren’t as high as in the turn of the century. Most of these flu outbreaks were actually easily contained and eliminated, but the strains of the flu outbreaks that actually managed to survive will now have a resistance to the previously effective medication. This vicious cycle involving the flu virus and flu outbreaks will continue for a long time, until such a day comes when the virus can really be eliminated.
Flu outbreaks are harsh facts in today’s world. Knowing what to do in case one of the flu outbreaks being reported around the world happens near you will make the difference between life and death.
Flu Outbreaks