Resurgence of Swine flu virus worries many globally

World Today

The H1N1 flu virus, also known as swine Flu, is spreading quickly across Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Ukraine is the worst hit with over 180 people dead. Russia and Iran both have reported over 100 fatalities.

CCTV America’s Nathan King reports.

In Russia’s second largest city, people are wearing face masks, and supplies of ant-viral drugs are selling fast as the H1N1 virus has claimed over 20 lives in St. Petersburg alone.

H1N1, unlike other flu strains, can be equally dangerous for young people and the elderly. It can quickly develop into Pneumonia.
In war-torn areas of Ukraine, schools have been closed for weeks and medical supplies are low.

The common flu vaccine does cover H1N1 but less than 1% of Ukraine’s 45 million people have been vaccinated. In some areas of the Middle East, vaccines are hard to come by as well.

There may also be other factors at work here and scientists from the World Health Organization have been dispatched to the hardest hit regions.