Here is some information on the current Swine Flu outbreak that has affected Mexico, the United States, New Zealand, Scotland and Israel so far.

If you are about to take a vacation you will be very concerned to find out the facts about Swine Flu and any precautions you should take to protect yourself.

1. Swine Flu has been known since 1976, when it began among members of the US army stationed at Fort Dix. One soldier died within a day of the first symptoms. The latest outbreak is a new form of the Swine Flu virus, combining genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way that has not happened before.

2. The mortality rate for Swine Flu is ten per cent if there are no complications or existing conditions that can make the effects more severe.

3. So far in Mexico there have been 1000+ people affected, and at least 150 have died. As of 29 April there have been no deaths from Swine Flu outside Mexico. Symptoms of those infected in other countries have been mild, leading doctors to believe there may be additional factors in Mexico that have caused the illness to be more severe there.

4. Students returning to New Zealand from Mexico have reported flu like symptoms but none of them has been identified as suffering from Swine Flu so far. The United States, Canada and the European Union are telling people to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. Holidaymakers already in Mexico are returning home early as a result of the Swine Flu outbreak.

5. In the United States there have been 20 confirmed cases of Swine Flu, and 6 in Canada. There have been no deaths from Swine Flu in these countries so far. Anyone who received flu vaccinations in the US last winter will have some protection against swine flu. In Scotland a couple who spent their Honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico, are recovering in hospital from suspected Swine Flu. Other countries where there have been confirmed cases of H1N1 include New Zealand, Israel, Spain, Germany & Costa Rica.

6. The World Health Organisation has classified the situation as a formal public health emergency of international concern. It says that a pandemic – a global outbreak of a serious new illness – is still not yet inevitable. However the WHO warns all countries to prepare for the worst, especially poorer developing nations.

7. If you are affected by Flu symptoms you should not go to hospital or a medical centre as this simply spreads the infection. Instead, call the local health authorities to obtain treatment with Tamiflu or Relenza, which are helpful in combating the Swine Flu virus.

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