H1N1 Influenza: Global Outbreak and Response

Running head: H1N1 Influenza
TITLE: H1N1 INFUENZA
NAME
UNIVERSITY
SUPERVISOR

H1N1 Influenza 2
Introduction
The rise in the rate of infectious diseases is a vital issue in the global health perspective.
Prevention of the infectious diseases such as influenza is important to reduce the burden in the
health domain. Many infectious disease have only infected the human race in recent times. One
of the H1N1 influenza outbreak took place in the United States in 2009 (Girard, 2010). The viral
strain was first found in America and it disseminated into other nations via movement of infected
individuals. It must be emphasized that any infectious disease can spread globally very quickly if
proper prevention measure are not taken at the initial stages. In the current scenario of widely
spread infectious diseases, there is a need of disease prevention system in order to prevent the
hazardous impact of the infectious disease. The surveillance system is an essential means as it
can control the disease before its occurrence (Steel Fisher, 2010). In addition, the preventive
measures delay the dissemination of the causal organism and minimizes the risk factor. The aim
of the article is to critically assess the global disease outbreak. It will also evaluate the
international response against the H1N1 outbreak and the risk associated with the disease
outbreak.
World health Organization (WHO) and international health regulations took the preventive
measures and involved over 196 nations to deal with the health disaster by identifying the
disease and highlight the preventive measures (Xu, 2010). Moreover, as indicated by the health
system identification of the illness is the duty of the social insurance units. The pandemic flu was
the uncontrollable tragedy that lasted for nearly a year and killed more than 12000 individuals in
the United States in 2009 and the flare-up of the illness can be damaging for different countries
and populations. As per the International Health Regulations (IHR), the flare-up of such ailments
can be limited by correct recognition of the malady and the attention to the general population
against the infection (Brien, 2012).
WHO is in charge of devising the strategies against the pandemic flu. The strategies formulated
by the WHO have 3 motives. It includes the history and dangers of the specific irresistible
malady. Also, it incorporates the discovery procedure of the specific infection on the grounds
that the appropriate identification and observation of the illness can limit the flare-up of the
sickness. Finally, the preventive measures and the information of the prescription is part of the
three point’s agenda. The board of trustees for the location of the malady is one of the real

H1N1 Influenza 3
advances against the episode of the infection (Mena, 2016). In order to assess the H1N1
influenza, the scholarly articles are consulted and google scholar is used to retrieve information.
Moreover, the peer reviewed articles of last 10 years were searched to design the action plans
against the disease and to highlight the major reason behind the wide spread of disease.
Outbreak and Response
The H1N1 influenza was first found in United States and spread quickly in other countries
(Wrammert, 2011). The H1N1 influenza killed more than 12,000 people in a year in the United
States of America and this disease breakout is a sign of concern for people at global level. Death
toll across the globe was huge lies between the ranges of 151700 to 575400. WHO declared on
August 10, 2010 that the pandemic has ended. Although, this particular strain is still in
circulation and emerge as seasonal influenza virus. The global response towards the disease
breakout is a positive sign after the initial breakout as the disease spread very quickly in different
countries (Chowell, 2011). The researchers have indicated that the sudden health crisis is taken
very seriously throughout the world and the medications are designed against the infection to
stop the impact of the particular disease. After the immediate response towards the disease, the
death rate goes down this year in comparison with the last two years. The current pandemic is
the first one which comes under the setting of international rules and standards and the response
of the world is quite serious. The purpose of the response of the global world is to reduce the
outbreak and to minimize the intensity of the outbreak.
The evaluation of the response of national and international response is quite well and the
preventive measure was taken by the State and the WHO. The preventive measures started with
the establishment of a Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). It played a
vital part in the prevention strategy of influenza by studying the trend of the diseases and has the
State association such as the National influenza center and the CDC influenza division.
Moreover, influenza surveillance in the United States was done with the effort of various
national and international partners and data centers as well. The purpose of the surveillance
system is to find out the activities of the virus, to highlight the data of the illness in hospitals
because of influenza, to find out the regular changes in the influenza virus and quick monitoring
and response to the outbreak (Chowell, 2011).

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The prevention and control activities to minimize the outbreak of influenza is the fundamental
goal of the health association. WHO designed the framework which comprises of a range of
factors. Firstly, the WHO explains the elements which contributed in the spread of the disease
such as the means of transportations and eco system. To limit the means of transportation, using
the tolls and mask is the preventive measure in context of the outbreak. Secondly, to observe and
regulate the activities of the subject of particular disease is the part of the framework. The
activities comprises of coughing in the public, hand wash and minimize the transportation
activities as this disease is a droplet infection.
International response includes the prevention strategies to minimize the outbreak and these
techniques involve both medical as well as non-medical prevention strategies. The medical
preventive measures comprise of the medications which reduce the outbreak and reduce the
effectiveness of the infectious disease. On the contrary, the non-medical strategies comprise of
the isolation of the patient and the screening process. One Health is a multi-disciplinary dealing
with the risk factors that are associated with health (Kumar, 2010). This approach suggests that
the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems are interrelated with each other and the
occurrence infectious disease needs to be addressed. According to the One Health perspective,
the spread of the H1N1 influenza is dangerous and this particular approach received a significant
response from various health institutions and other organizations as well. WHO, World Bank,
US center for disease control and prevention, European Commission, US department of health
and agriculture contributed in the management of the risk (Li, 2013).
International health organizations joined hands with the WHO to prevent the spread of this
outbreak. According to the one health perspective, infectious diseases create an adverse impact
on the health of the people and these are the reasons for rising mortality rates in the past few
decades. Moreover, humans are the major reason behind the wide spread disease of influenza
because of the traveling pattern. The researches have highlighted that the increase in the pattern
of transport is the major reason behind the spread of the disease (Vries, 2010).
WHO stated that the massive spread of H1N1 influenza is one causes the death of several people.
WHO guidelines indicate that the prevention of the H1N1 is necessary due to the number of
deaths it caused (Hui, 2010). Prevention of the disease is significant to minimize the impact.
However, WHO and other international health organizations assessed the infectious disease and