Cold vs. H1N1 - Know the Difference!
I heard on the news the other day that the seasonal flu hasn't really even hit yet - That means, according to the report, that nearly all cases of the flu so far are H1N1. The government has declared the H1N1 pandemic a national emergency. According to the Washington Times, as of October 25th, there have been more than 1000 deaths, 100 of them pediatric. (The synopsis below reports 22 pediatric deaths as of Oct. 24). And we are woefully short on vaccines. We all know the steps we should take to help prevent getting the flu, but do we all know the symptoms? When is going to the doctor warranted? Or the emergency room? I have to wonder how many deaths can be prevented by not waiting too long to get medical care.
A co-worker had the flu last week. I asked her if it was H1N1, and she said she didn't know for sure. It is too expensive to have the tests done, so she didn't have it confirmed. Are the statistics we see on how many cases there have been based on 'tested' cases? If that's so, then the numbers must be much higher than reported.
This information is from the CDC:
Synopsis:
During week 42 (October 18-24, 2009), influenza activity increased in the U.S.
- 8,268 (42.1%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories and reported to CDC/Influenza Division were positive for influenza.
- All subtyped influenza A viruses being reported to CDC were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.
- The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold.
- Twenty-two influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported. Nineteen of these deaths were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and three were associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype was undetermined.
- The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was above the national baseline. All 10 regions reported ILI above region-specific baseline levels.
- Forty-eight states reported geographically widespread influenza activity, Guam and two states reported regional influenza activity, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico reported local influenza activity, and the U.S. Virgin Islands did not report
Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms
|
Symptom |
Cold |
H1N1 Flu |
|
Fever |
Fever is rare with a cold . |
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu . |
|
Coughing |
A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. |
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough) . |
|
Aches |
Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold . |
Severe aches and pains are common with the flu . |
|
Stuffy Nose |
Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week . |
Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu . |
|
Chills |
Chills are uncommon with a cold . |
60% of people who have the flu experience chills . |
|
Tiredness |
Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold . |
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu . |
|
Sneezing |
Sneezing is commonly present with a cold . |
Sneezing is not common with the flu . |
|
Sudden Symptoms |
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days . |
The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains . |
|
Headache |
A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold . |
A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases . |
|
Sore Throat |
Sore throat is commonly present with a cold . |
Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu . |
|
Chest Discomfort |
Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold . |
Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu . |
If you know someone who lives alone, keep an eye on them! They may not be able to get the care they need if they are too sick to seek it out....
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