The 2009 swine flu pandemic was a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, first identified in April 2009, termed Pandemic H1N1/09 virus by the World Health Organization (WHO)[1] and colloquially called swine flu. The outbreak was first observed in Mexico,[2][3] and quickly spread globally. On the 11th of June 2009, the WHO declared the outbreak to be a pandemic.[4][5] The overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms,[4] but some persons are at higher risk of suffering more serious effects; such as those with asthma, diabetes,[6][7]obesity, heart disease, or those who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system.[8] In the rare severe cases, around 3–5 days after symptoms manifest, the sufferer's condition declines quickly, often to the point respiratory failure.[9] Although Ukraine was not (very) affected at first there was on outbreak of the virus in Western Ukraine in early November 2009 that led to the closing of public buildings and cancellation of meetings for three weeks.[10]
As of December 2009 more than two million people had fallen ill since Ukraine's flu epidemic began[11] and about 500 of those people died of flu or flu-like illnesses and its complications (pneumonia) of the 46 million people then living in Ukraine.[12] Ukraine was one of the countries most affected (8th) by swine flu in Europe.[13]
According to Ukrainian Justice Minister Mykola Onischuk the epidemiological situation during October–December 2009 didn't change the overall death rate in Ukraine.[14]
Ukraine has two laboratories capable of identifying influenza strains.[15]