Venezuela H1N1 outbreak kills 17
Swine flu, or H1N1 influenza is alive and well in the South American country of Venezuela as an outbreak of the pandemic strain has infected some 250 individuals, killing 17, according to a Fox News report.
“We’re suffering a tail-end of the pandemic,” a former Venezuelan health minister, Rafael Orihuela, told a local TV station.
Most of the cases were in border states near Colombia.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) official data show 18,500 people were reported killed in the 2009/2010 H1N1 pandemic, but a study in The Lancet last year said the actual death toll may have been up to 15 times higher at more than 280,000.
Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year.
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