Headache, fever, vomiting: flu symptoms are typical. However, this year’s outbreak of swine flu is different. Despite the lingering summer heat, people around the world are being diagnosed with swine flu.

2009 alumnus Shane Darakjian suffered symptoms like fever, coughing, headache and dizziness for one week and was diagnosed with swine flu, Sept. 7.

“I still don’t know how I got the swine flu,” Darakijan said. “My mom is a nurse, so I knew about the two types of swine flu, mild and severe. We were hoping that I had a mild case, which I did. It’s the severe one that people need to watch out for; it’s pretty bad. But luckily I only had a mild case, and I survived it. I did not spread it to anyone else because I was quarantined in my house; I couldn’t see anyone.”

Gina Wathen, mother of senior Chelsea Wathen, suffered similar symptoms to Darakjian. A 104-degree fever, aching and congestion plagued her life for 10 days. Two trips to the doctor’s office and several diagnostic tests later, the doctor determined Gina had the flu.

“The worst part was the fatigue,” Wathen said. “I would get up and it took all of my strength and energy just to walk to the bathroom and back. They kept thinking I had pneumonia, but the doctor said I didn’t; it was the flu.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “5% to 20% of the population [of the United States] gets the flu,” or influenza, each year. Flu victims are sometimes forced to miss school or work to stay home sick and suffer from uncomfortable symptoms, however, symptoms of the swine flu, a relatively new strain, are much worse.

College freshman Jon Freeman, a student at Willow International, says he believes the swine flu is only a mild bug.

“I am not scared of getting the H1N1 flu, because I don’t believe a little flu could actually kill me,” Freeman said. “But getting the flu is miserable because when your immune system is down, you feel every little thing that is attacking your body, even if it is something normal. Having your sinuses clogged hurts a lot. In order to avoid getting the swine and other flu viruses, I stay fit, eat healthy foods, and keep a strict personal hygiene routine.”

According to the New York Times, at least 2,000 students at the University of Washington contracted the swine flu during the first month of school.

Sally Redman, a registered nurse who works for Washington State, said there was a constant stream of people in her office. She said this was a very real event and “[the outbreak] was rampant.”

David Luchini, the division manager of the Community Health Department of Fresno County, oversees several programs including the flu immunization program. He says the chances of getting the swine are greatly decreased by following several rules.

“Washing hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer, not going to work or school when sick with a cough or fever, wiping down keyboards, phones and doorknobs, not sharing drinks, eating well, and exercising are all ways to decrease your risk of getting swine flu,” Luchini said.

Several fundamental differences separate the H1N1 bug from regular influenza. According to the World Health Organization, at least 3205 people have died from the virus so far.

“With seasonal influenza, death usually occurs from the pneumonia, which is the secondary infection,” Luchini said. “But with the swine flu, less people are dying of pneumonia and more people are dying of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The swine has caused a significant wave of fear across the world. Luchini says this may be due to its similarity to the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918.

“It’s too early to tell if the H1N1 bug is similar to the Spanish flu, but the same population is being hit; the average age of hospitalization for this bug is 28 years old,” Luchini said. “Diabetics, asthmatics and pregnant women are at the highest risk.”

Jackie Cowin, ’10, says she is not worried about the swine flu, but her mother is worried. Cowin missed several months of school during her junior year due to a kidney infection and resulting issues with her spine and pelvis.

“I am scared of just getting sick at all, because I missed so much school last year,” Cowin said. “The swine flu does not particularly scare me; I should probably be more afraid of it than I am. But my mother has been e-mailing hospitals and asking what preventative action should be taken against the swine flu. She even bought masks, special bed sheets, plastic covers for our television clickers, and bad-smelling disinfectant wipes. She says if you’re sick, you must be kept away from everyone else.”

For more information, please visit the California Department of Public Health.