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Swine Influenza Outbreak in United States and Mexico

  • For the latest information on human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) in the United States, click on the following link from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm
  • Swine influenza - swine flu - is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus.
  • Typically, humans are not infected with swine flu.
  • Swine flu is not transmitted by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork products, however it is always recommended to thoroughly cook pork to avoid foodborne illness.
  • Health officials are working diligently to determine the source of human infection, if additional people have been infected with similar swine flu viruses and to fully assess the health impact of this swine flu virus.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

    The public should continue to monitor the news and heed the advice provided by federal, state and local health officials and their health care provider. There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.

    • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

    • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

    Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

    • Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

    • If you get sick, you should stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

    Symptoms of swine flu are similar to regular human flu and include:

    • Fever
    • Cough
    • Sore throat
    • Body aches
    • Headache
    • Chills
    • Fatigue

    Some people also have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu.

    For people who have flu-like symptoms and have traveled to areas where swine flu has been confirmed, they should seek medical attention. However, if a person has flu-like symptoms but has not traveled to areas where swine flu has been confirmed, they should stay home and contact a doctor to see if they should go in for testing.

Health Care Providers

Travel Recommendations

Travel Warning: Swine Influenza and Severe Cases of Respiratory Illness in Mexico — Avoid Nonessential Travel to Mexico.

The CDC is concerned that continued travel by U.S. travelers to Mexico presents a serious risk for further outbreaks of swine flu in the United States. For the most up-to-date travel information, log onto wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluMexico.aspx. If you have recently traveled to one of the affected areas, you should pay close attention to your health for seven days.

Press Releases

State and National Links

idph online home

Illinois Department of Public Health
535 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, Illinois 62761
Phone 217-782-4977
Fax 217-782-3987
TTY 800-547-0466
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