Swine flu - a 21st Century pandemic

H1N1 has been called a ‘flu pandemic' and we are hearing daily of the number of people around the UK and world who are contracting this illness. The effect on the worldwide mortality rate is being watched very closely and is widely publicised. But what is a pandemic? An epidemic is a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease with many people being infected at the same time. An influenza pandemic may occur when a new virus appears against which the human population has no immunity. With the increase in global transport, as well as urbanisation and overcrowded conditions in some areas, ...