Symptoms & When to Get Medical Help

Symptoms

The symptoms of this new H1N1 swine flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of sick people also reported diarrhea and vomiting.

The high-risk groups for this new flu are not known at this time, but they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. People at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu include

• people age 65 years and older,
• children younger than 5 years old,
• pregnant women,
• people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), and
• people whose immune systems are not strong (such as chemotherapy patients or those infected with HIV).

When to Get Medical Help

For Children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

For adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough