16 NH swine flu victims “recovering and doing very well”

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that as of Monday afternoon there are 16 individuals in New Hampshire with the H1N1 virus or “Swine Flu.”

The severity of the cases appear to be mild as DHHS Commissioner Nicholas Toumpas said, “we are happy to report that all the patients in New Hampshire who have been diagnosed with H1N1 are recovering and doing very well.”

State officials tested 678 samples from state residents and more turned out to have the seasonal flu than swine flu. Nine of the sixteen residents appear to be age 19 or under.

Globally, the virus has infected 5,200 people in over 30 countries. Of the 2059 people struck with the virus in Mexico, 56 have died. Here in the United States, 2600 have tested positive for the illness, but only 3 have died. Many health officials believe that the virus has mutated into a less lethal strain in the United States since the fatality rate is only .1% here, while it is 3% in Mexico.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 36,000 people die of the “regular flu” and related complications each year in the United States. While the Swine Flu appears to be much less dangerous than many initially thought, the World Health Organization (WHO) is warning that this new virus should not be taken lightly.

“Seasonal epidemics occur every year and we are able to treat the virus with seasonal vaccines. [Swine Flu] is a new virus and one to which the populations will have no immunity,” the WHO stated. Officials worry about the possibility of the virus to mutating into a more deadly strain.

The DHHS is still recommending the same precautions as it does with every virus, “to stay home from work or school if you feel sick; cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve when you cough or sneeze; and wash your hands.”