LAHORE – Swine influenza seems on the loose again, as right after detecting a swine flu case in Karachi, 20 patients have appeared to be infected with influenza A in Lahore, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources at CMH revealed that the hospital has been sending two to three blood samples of Influenza A patients everyday to Mayo Hospital for a week. CMH doctors have confirmed that most of the patients are retired army personnel, and are said to be residing in Lahore or the city suburbs.
INFLUENZA A OR SWINE FLU?: Influenza A can either be swine flu or bird flu, but while examining the patterns of the disease being diagnosed around the country, senior health advisers fear that these cases have a greater chance of being swine flu. Swine flu is an influenza A H1N1 virus, just like the one that causes our typical seasonal flu symptoms.
The flu has become pandemic not only because it can easily spread from person to person but also because most of the people are not immune to it. The flu symptoms are similar to the usual flu. Fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent, while cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue or tiredness can be extreme, and diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu.
Signs of a more serious swine flu infection might include pneumonia and respiratory failure.
