How was the 2009 H1N1 virus transmitted between people?

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Caring for flu victims — influenza pandemic (H1N1) of 2009 Doctors at the Mexico City Navy Hospital wearing protective gear as they tend to patients complaining of H1N1 flu-like symptoms.

The 2009 H1N1 virus was transmitted from human to human primarily through the inhalation of infectious particles or through direct contact with an infected individual or a contaminated surface.1

These modes of transmission were highly effective, contributing to the virus's rapid global spread. The H1N1 virus was notably contagious, with a secondary attack rate—the frequency of new cases arising from contact with an infected person—between 22 and 33 percent, which was higher than that of seasonal influenza. To help control the spread of the virus, health officials recommended basic sanitary practices, such as washing hands, wearing face masks, and disinfecting potentially contaminated surfaces.12