The information contained in this factsheet is intended for the purpose of general information and should not substitute individual expert advice and judgement of healthcare professionals.
Coronaviruses are viruses that circulate among animals. Some coronaviruses can infect humans. Many human coronaviruses come from bats which are considered natural hosts of these viruses.
A pandemic is the rapid spread of a new human influenza around the world. Influenza pandemics happen when a new strain of a flu virus appears which can infect humans, to which most people have no immunity and which can transmit efficiently from human to human.
Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Influenza viruses that commonly circulate in swine are called “swine influenza viruses” or “swine flu viruses.” Like human influenza viruses, there are different subtypes and strains of swine influenza viruses.
The common denominators are 1) the possible emergence of a disease with general bleedings – often leading to death; 2) the potential risk to close contacts
Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses. They may cause severe diseases with potential risks of human-to-human transmission via body fluids or droplets. Eliminating or minimising contact with rodents is the best way to prevent infection.
Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses can be transmitted to humans by contact with faeces/urine from infected rodents or with dust containing infective particles. They may cause severe diseases. Eliminating contact with rodents is the best way to prevent infection.
The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a new beta virus strain of an animal coronavirus that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. This novel coronavirus differs from the previously identified coronaviruses such as the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which caused the 2003 SARS outbreaks.