Important facts about swine flu

Swine flu is the respiratory illness of pigs caused by infection with swine influenza. It is a virus that can occasionally affect humans.

The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus. Subtype HINI, identified in April 2009, is commonly referred to as swine flu. It is a novel strain of influenza - a
re- assortment of four known strains of influenza A virus sub type HINI- one endemic in humans, one endemic in birds and two endemic in swine (pigs).

The outbreak was first detected in Mexico City in March 2009. By mid June seventy six countries had officially reported several thousand cases of swine flu (39,620). The WHO declared the outbreak to be a pandemic on June 11, 2009 due to the global spread of the virus and not its severity. Pandemic alert level was classified as Phase 6, meaning that there are now ongoing community level outbreaks in multiple parts of the world.
Symptoms are similar to those caused by other influenza viruses and it is not possible to distinguish swine flu from regular seasonal influenza on the basis of symptoms alone.