2009 FLU PANDEMIC

The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, officially referred to as novel H1N1, first identified in April 2009 and commonly called swine flu. The virus is a mixing (reassortment) of four known strains of influenza A virus: one endemic in humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs (swine). Transmission of the new strain is human-to-human, and eating cooked pork products will not transmit the virus.
The outbreak began in Mexico, with evidence that there had been an ongoing epidemic for months before it was officially recognized as such. The Mexican government soon closed most of Mexico City's public and private offices and facilities to contain the spread of the virus. As the virus quickly spread globally, clinics were overwhelmed by testing and treating patients, and the WHO and the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eventually stopped counting all cases and focused instead on tracking major outbreaks. In early June 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a pandemic, but also noted that most of the illnesses were of moderate severity.