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(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) today said the novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) virus seems to be more contagious than seasonal flu, but it generally causes "very mild illness" in otherwise healthy people.

WHO's novel H1N1 flu case count tops 4,500The global number of people infected with the novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) virus rose to 4,694 from 30 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today. The count includes 1,626 cases and 48 deaths in Mexico and the 2,532 cases and 3 deaths reported in the United States as of yesterday. Canada has reported 284 cases and one death. [WHO update 25]

(CIDRAP News) – A rapid assessment team from the World Health Organization (WHO) today predicted that the novel H1N1 (swine flu) virus may spread similarly to 20th century pandemics, but said it's too early to gauge the future impact on human health.

(CIDRAP News) – As state public health laboratories tackle their novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) testing backlogs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said yesterday it expects to see rising case numbers across the nation along with cutbacks in the number of samples tested by states.

(CIDRAP News) – With the global outbreak of novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) entering its fourth week, physicians at emergency rooms, clinics, and hospitals around the United States say they are overwhelmed with "worried well" who have as much as doubled their patient loads.

The World Health Organization (WHO) listed a global total of 2,500 confirmed cases of swine influenza H1N1 in 25 countries today. That total included 1,204 cases in Mexico, 896 cases in the United States (yesterday's number), 214 in Canada, 88 in Spain, and 34 in the United Kingdom. The death toll remains at 44, including 42 in Mexico and 2 in the United States. [WHO update 22]

(CIDRAP News) – A new survey from Harvard University suggests that a majority of Americans are following the news about the novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) and taking steps to avoid it, but they are not especially worried about catching it.

The global illness count for the novel H1N1 swine influenza climbed to 2,099 confirmed cases with 44 deaths in 23 countries early today, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported. That included 1,112 cases and 42 deaths in Mexico and yesterday's US count of 642 cases and 2 deaths. Spain reported 73 cases and the United Kingdom 28. [WHO update 19]

(CIDRAP News) – In their most detailed profile of H1N1 swine influenza cases so far, federal health officials reported today that only 5% of US patients were older than 50 and that 38% of patients had gastrointestinal problems, well above what's typical for seasonal flu.

(CIDRAP News) – Triple reassortant swine influenza A viruses that contain genes from avian, human, and swine influenza viruses emerged and became predominant in North American pig herds by the late 1990s and have been detected in humans 11 times since 2005, authors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments reported today.

(CIDRAP News) – A lab test currently under development at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could answer one of the novel H1N1 swine flu outbreak's most intriguing questions: why older people seem less likely to catch the new disease.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) will convene a group of experts May 14 to advise the agency on whether to pull the trigger on production of a vaccine for the novel H1N1 swine influenza virus, a WHO official announced today.

(CIDRAP News) –The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced approval of a new influenza vaccine manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania that could be used to produce a vaccine against the novel influenza H1N1 (swine flu) virus.

The global count of confirmed H1N1 swine influenza cases rose to 1,658 in 23 countries, with 30 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported at a briefing today. Mexico continued to lead the list with 946 cases. [May 6 WHO swine flu update]

Texas reported the nation's second death from the novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu), in a woman from Cameron County who had a chronic health condition. According to an update posted on the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) Web site, she died earlier this week. The first US death from the new flu strain also occurred in Texas, a 22-month-old boy from Mexico City.

(CIDRAP News) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today revised its novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) guidance for schools, urging schools and parents to identify and isolate sick children rather than close schools when cases are identified or suspected.

(CIDRAP News) – The tentative detection of the novel swine influenza H1N1 virus in an Alberta swine herd over the weekend shook Canada's pork industry and raised concern about the potential for new hybrid viruses to emerge.