It is Estimated Up to 500,000 People Worldwide Will Die from Influenza This Year

Getting the flu these days, is nothing to sneeze at. Influenza is a disease we pick up from birds and mammals. Once a human contracts a flu virus, it can spread throughout the world, causing flu epidemics in heavily populated areas.

Symptoms of influenza viruses can vary, depending on the flu strain that is going around. The general symptoms of a flu virus are muscle pains, soreness in the joints, fever, coughing, sneezing, fluid in the lungs, headache, sore throat, weakness and disorientation. If not treated, influenza can turn into pneumonia and can become fatal.

Whenever a flu virus is going around, I always keep a container of spray disinfected around. I spray down the bathroom and kitchen countertops the most. This helps to kill any flu virus that might be left by others, who are carrying the infection.

The World Health Organization notes that, influenza spreads most commonly, from infected individuals, spraying small particles when they cough and sneeze around others. Also by touch.

Last flu season, our ABC news affiliate, reported that many individuals were quite possibly, exposing themselves to flu viruses by touching the handles of shopping carts at store, others had used right before them. That Saturday, when we went shopping, I noticed a lot of peopled wiping down their shopping carts with disinfectant, before using those carts.

In seasonal epidemics of influenza, up to 15% of a population will become infected. It's important for us to understand influenza and just how debilitating an infection of it can be. Especially among the elderly, contracting a flu virus can become deadly, very fast.

My grandfather passed away from catching the flu. As careful as he was, during flu season, he caught it anyway. Four days later, he entered the hospital, caught pneumonia and died from it.

It is generally estimated, hospitalization and death mainly occurs in the elderly and those in ill health. Annually, it is estimated that the flu may account for up to a half of a million deaths, world wide.