Next Wave of H1N1 Swine Flu Now Concerns CDC

The CDC is now modeling and planning for the next wave of H1N1 Swine Flu, which is expected to impact North America this fall. The question the CDC is dealing with it how much will the Swine Flu H1N1 virus mutate in the time it is active in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is now prime flu season. The situation seems to have stabilized now in North America, though more H1N1 Swine Flu cases and more H1N1 Swine Flu deaths are expected in the near future.

Because the new swine flu virus — technically called H1N1 — is a highly unusual genetic mix of bird, flu and human viruses, health officials worry that it could continue to mutate and return in a more virulent form for next winter’s flu season.

As the swine flu continues to spread across the United States — and most cases continue to be mild — federal health officials said Monday that they’re shifting their focus from individual cases of infection to trying to project what is likely to occur with the virus in the fall.