Yahoo News reports that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released new information in regards to the number of swine flu cases in the United States. Last week, the number of people who have had the swine flu has risen from 34,000 to 37,000, while the number of people who have died from the swine flu has risen from 170 to 211.
We have heard that there are certain factors which may make a person more susceptible to experiencing a very severe case of swine flu. For example, very young people and very old people are more likely to have a more difficult time recovering from swine flu. The swine flu is also a problem for people who have autoimmune diseases, such as HIV and AIDS.
Some new cases of swine flu are bringing light to another factor which may play a role in the severity of a case of the illness. It is obesity. Can being obese increase your chances of dying due to the swine flu? Well, here’s what new discoveries have shown.
According to Yahoo News, health officials have said that the reason obesity may play a role in the severity of swine flu could be because of the health conditions associated with being overweight. People who are obese or are extremely obese are much more likely to have asthma and other health conditions.
By examining the cases, however, asthma and other health conditions do not seem to be the problem. Nine out of ten people who died in Ann Harbor, Michigan were obese or severely obese. Yahoo News reports that of the ten, three had other health problems, aside from obesity. This means that at least six of the people who were obese or severely obese did not have any other health problems aside from being overweight.
Of course, it is important to keep in mind that there is a possibility that these people really did have other health problems. Perhaps they had heart problems or other health problems that had not yet been diagnosed.
Alarmingly, half out of the Ann Harbor Michigan swine flu patients experienced blood clotting in the lungs. Six of the ten experienced kidney failure. While these problems are not unheard of among swine flu patients, it usually does not occur within a group of patients. Especially not within a group of patients that were mostly obese or severely obese.
Although we may not yet know the exact relation of obesity to swine flu, it is pretty safe to say that there is one. Doctors should be aware of the fact that swine flu patients who are obese may be much more likely than others to experience severe and potentially deadly complications due to the virus.
Remember that swine flu is just like any other type of flu. It is important to frequently wash your hands. Do not be afraid to carry around hand sanitizer. Try to avoid environments where you may find yourself trapped with high concentrations of people who have swine flu, such as a bus or train. With the right amount of preventative steps, you may be able to prevent swine flu from affecting you. Even if you do get it, taking medicine can help dramatically.
