What is the H1N1 virus?
What is the H1N1 virus?
The following information helps to explain the difference between the H1N1 flu and seasonal flu.
The H1N1 virus may be spread when someone coughs or sneezes, as tiny droplets filled with virus can travel up to two metres away. If these droplets land in your eyes, nose or mouth, you may become infected with the virus.
The pandemic H1N1 flu virus is different than the regular seasonal flu.
In spring 2009, the H1N1 flu virus emerged in North America.
This is a new strain of influenza and because humans have little to no natural immunity to the virus, it can cause serious and widespread illness.
Seasonal Flu
Influenza, or the flu, is a common and highly contagious respiratory disease that affects the nose, throat and lungs.
Influenza viruses can change rapidly. That's why there's a new flu shot made every year to protect against the circulating virus strains.
Yearly exposure to existing strains of the flue provides some level of immunity to seasonal flu.
How is H1N1 spread?
When someone coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets filled with virus can travel up to two metres away. If these droplets land in your eyes, nose or mouth, you may become infected with the virus.
What is an influenza pandemic?
An influenza pandemic is declared when a new strain of influenza (flu) virus that has never been seen before emerges and begins to spread quickly around the world. The H1N1 virus is new, so people have little or no natural immunity to it. The H1N1 flu virus spread quickly around the world and in June 2009, the World Health Organization declared an influenza pandemic.
(Source: Your H1N1 Preparedness Guide - Public Health Agency of Canada, 2009)