Update on H1N1 Situation - CDC expects more hospitalizations

[The Straight Story]

Update on Situation

The ongoing outbreak of novel influenza A (H1N1) continues to expand in the United States and internationally. CDC expects that more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths from this outbreak will occur over the coming days and weeks.

CDC continues to take aggressive action to respond to an expanding outbreak caused by novel H1N1 flu.

CDC’s response goals are to:

1. Reduce transmission and illness severity, and
2. Provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this emergency.

CDC is issuing updated interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation. This includes updated interim guidance for clinicians on how to identify and care for people who are sick with novel H1N1 flu now that more widespread illness has been detected in the United States. CDC recommends that testing and antiviral treatment be prioritized for those with severe respiratory illness and those at highest risk of complications from seasonal influenza. This includes children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions and weakened immune systems, and people 65 years and older. In addition, CDC has provided information for the public on what to do if they develop flu-like symptoms.

CDC has completed deployment of 25 percent of the supplies in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to all states in the continental United States. These supplies and medicines will help states and U.S. territories respond to the outbreak. In addition, the Federal Government and manufacturers have begun the process of developing a vaccine against the novel H1N1 flu virus.

Response actions are aggressive, but they may vary across states and communities depending on local circumstances. Communities, businesses, places of worship, schools and individuals can all take action to slow the spread of this outbreak. People who are sick are urged to stay home from work or school and to avoid contact with others, except to seek medical care. This action can avoid spreading illness further.

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection

As of 11:00 AM ET on May 5, 2009, CDC has confirmed 403 human cases and 1 death in 38 states:

* Alabama: 4
* Arizona: 17
* California: 49
* Colorado: 6
* Connecticut: 2
* Delaware: 20
* Florida: 5
* Georgia: 1
* Idaho: 1
* Illinois: 82
* Indiana: 3
* Iowa: 1
* Kansas: 2
* Kentucky: 1 (resident of Kentucky but currently hospitalized in Georgia)
* Louisiana: 7
* Maine: 1
* Maryland: 4
* Massachusetts: 6
* Michigan: 2
* Minnesota: 1
* Missouri: 1
* Nebraska: 1
* Nevada: 1
* New Hampshire: 1
* New Jersey: 6
* New Mexico: 1
* New York: 90
* North Carolina: 1
* Ohio:3
* Oregon: 15
* Pennsylvania: 1
* Rhode Island: 1
* South Carolina: 16
* Tennessee: 2
* Texas: 41 (and 1 death)
* Utah: 1
* Virginia: 3
* Wisconsin: 3

For more information, see the CDC H1N1 Flu website.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. Look at the numbers

for Delaware, Illinois, and New York.

OK, in New York, some of the cases were kids who were in Cancun over Spring Break. The number in Delaware, though, is awfully high for such a tiny place. And how come Illinois is so high?

I wonder if these were also Spring Break-related cases, folks who traveled to Mexico................

[madrchsod]

3. here in illinois they decided children can go back to school....

if they are sick they get sent home...to a empty home. according to the officials the flu is not as bad as thought.

illinois has a large mexican american population across most of northern illinios. there were 3000+deaths last year due to the flu.

[The Straight Story]

4. True on that (not being as bad as thought)

However, the CDC is keeping well on top of it because it feels it has potential to be worse.

Which to me is a comforting thought, especially given it could come back way worse.

If it doesn't, great, but if it starts to they will be well on top of it all.

While some think it might be fear mongering I think it is simply educational and awareness. Overreaction on issues like this are better than under-reactions (kind of like those warnings bush got before 9/11....)

[madrchsod]

2. so that is why they dropped the closing of the schools?

the cdc does`t live in the real world...

[Ilsa]

5. Texas now has a second death and 61 confirmed cases, not 41;

Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting a Texas woman with the H1N1 flu has died.

According to the DSHS, the woman “had chronic underlying health conditions.”

DSHS is reporting 61 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in Texas, 60 of them are Texas residents.

Local dept of state health services probably have more up-to-date counts.