Influenza, commonly called "the flu," is an illness caused by RNA viruses that infect the respiratory tract of many animals, birds, and humans. In most people, the infection results in the person getting fever, cough, headache, and malaise (tired, no energy); some people also may develop a sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The majority of individuals has symptoms for about one to two weeks and then recovers with no problems. However, compared with most other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, influenza (flu) infection can cause a more severe illness with a mortality rate (death rate) of about 0.1% of people who are infected with the virus.
Experts recommend that people who suspect that they have H1N1 infection stay home and avoid contact with other people. The only time you should leave home is to access medical care if needed. That said, it is important to remember that the vast majority of flu cases (even H1N1 cases) produce only a mild illness for which doctor's visits and/or antiviral drugs are not necessary. So, the presence of cough and fever in an individual who is not at high risk for complications and who does not have warning signs of a medical emergency should not be a reason to visit an ER.
