What is swine flu?

Swine Fluis an infection caused by a virus that pigs can get, people do not normally get swine flu virus, but human infections can and happen.
The virus is contagious and can spread from human to human.
Symptoms: It is similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

What is the new influenza A (H1N1) virus that has been causing recent outbreaks globally?
The recent outbreaks of disease in people globally are caused by a new influenza (or “flu”) type A (H1N1) virus. There is a human H5N1 virus circulating and causing seasonal influenza and in the past, very occasionally, H1N1 viruses from swine have infected humans. The specific type of the H1N1 virus causing illness now is new or “novel” and in the current outbreak it is clear that this virus is able to infect humans and be passed from person to person. Although part of the virus may have originated from pigs, there is no evidence that the current spread of infection is coming from that source.

How does the influenza A (H1N1) virus spread?
Spread of this new virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose