Swine Flu Update 050909

UPDATE: Swine Flu update for Saturday 050909

CDC: Update as of May 8, 2009, 11:00 AM ET

The ongoing outbreak of novel influenza A (H1N1) continues to expand in the United States. 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 the expanding outbreak. CDC’s response goals are to reduce spread and illness severity, and 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.

Antiviral Guidance

CDC has issued guidance for health care providers on the use of antiviral medications during the current outbreak. The priority use for influenza antiviral drugs is to treat severe influenza illness and people who are at high risk of serious influenza-related conditions.

School Guidance

At this time, CDC recommends the primary means to reduce spread of influenza in schools focus on early identification of ill students and staff, staying home when sick, and good cough etiquette and frequent hand washing. Decisions about school closure should be at the discretion of local authorities based on local considerations. (See the School Guidance.)

Increased Testing

CDC has developed a PCR diagnostic test kit to detect this novel H1N1 virus and has now distributed test kits to all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The test kits are being shipped internationally as well. This will allow states and other countries to test for this new virus. This increase in testing capacity is likely to result in an increase in the number of reported confirmed cases in this country, which should provide a more accurate picture of the burden of disease in the United States.

Alabama 4
Arizona 131
California 107
Colorado 25
Connecticut 4
Delaware 39
Florida 6
Georgia 3
Hawaii 5
Idaho 1
Illinois 392
Indiana 29
Iowa 5
Kansas 12
Kentucky** 3
Louisiana 7
Maine 4
Maryland 4
Massachusetts 83
Michigan 49
Minnesota 1
Missouri 9
Nebraska 4
Nevada 8
New Hampshire 3
New Jersey 7
New Mexico 8
New York 174
North Carolina 7
Ohio 6
Oklahoma 4
Oregon 15
Pennsylvania 2
Rhode Island 7
South Carolina 29
South Dakota 1
Tennessee 36
Texas 93 2
Utah 24
Virginia 14
Washington 33
Washington, D.C. 1
Wisconsin 240
TOTAL*(43) 1639 cases 2 deaths