RN to BSN Program
Pandemic Flu Information
Main Page
Edinboro University's Response
Previously commonly called the "swine flu," the name being used to describe the current outbreak is the H1N1 flu. The strain is now called by its scientific name to avoid public fears that the illness is spread through pork products. It is not.
H1N1 flu reached pandemic levels several months ago and is expected rebound in the fall and winter months, but its severity level in the U.S. remains moderate and, according to public health officials, is about as severe as the seasonal flu.
On a six-point scale, the World Health Organization's Pandemic Alert is at Phase 6. The scale does not relate to the severity of the illness, only the widespread, geographic nature of the disease. It has been reported that the WHO and the CDC are focusing on "heightened surveillance, early detection, treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities."
