Health and Science for Sunday 062109
Hey folks,
In today's health and Science Segment, we are going to look at the latest in the Swine Flu Pandemic
According to Reuters - CDC sees "something different" with new flu By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor Maggie Fox, Health And Science Editor – Fri Jun 19, 9:46 am ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The new strain of H1N1 flu is causing "something different" to happen in the United States this year -- perhaps an extended year-round flu season that disproportionately hits young people, health officials said on Thursday.
An unusually cool late spring may be helping keep the infection going in the U.S. Northeast, especially densely populated areas in New York and Massachusetts, the officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
And infections among healthcare workers suggest that people are showing up at work sick -- meaning that workplace policies may be contributing to its spread, the CDC officials said.
The new strain of swine flu is officially a pandemic now, according to the World Health Organization.
So far the virus is causing mild to moderate disease, but it has killed at least 167 people and been confirmed in nearly 40,000 globally.
The United States has been hardest hit, with upward of 100,000 likely cases and probably far more, with 44 deaths and 1,600 hospitalized.
"The fact that we are seeing ongoing transmission now indicates that we are seeing something different," the CDC's Dr. Daniel Jernigan told a news briefing.
"And we believe that that may have to do with the complete lack of immunity to this particular virus among those that are most likely affected. And those are children," Jernigan added.
"The areas of the country that are most affected, some of them have very high population densities, like Boston and New York. So that may be a contributor as well. Plus the temperature in that part of the country is cooler, and we know that influenza appears to like the cooler times of the year for making transmission for effective."
Jernigan said in areas that are the most affected up to 7 percent of the population has influenza-like illness.
SUMMER OF FLU
"The United States will likely continue to see influenza activity through the summer, and at this point we're anticipating that we will see the novel H1N1 continue with activity probably all the way into our flu season in the fall and winter. The amount of activity we expect to be low, and then pick up later."
One worrying pattern: healthcare workers are being infected, and most reported they did little or nothing to protect themselves, the CDC's Dr. Mike Bell said.
People coming into emergency departments or clinics need to be checked right away for flu symptoms and anyone working with such a patient needs to wear a mask, gloves and eyewear, Bell said.
"We're beginning to see a pattern of healthcare personnel-to-healthcare personnel transmission in some of the clusters, which is also concerning, because it gets to the issue of people showing up to work sick," Bell said.
Doctors, nurses and technicians who have flu can spread it to vulnerable patients, Bell noted.
As of May 13, the CDC said it had received 48 reports of healthcare workers infected with swine flu.
Detailed case reports on 26 showed that 13 were infected in a healthcare setting such as a clinic or hospital and 12 caught it from infected patients, the CDC said in its weekly report on death and disease.
(Additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago, editing by Philip Barbara)
CDC Update
A Pandemic Is Declared
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in response to the ongoing global spread of the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. A Phase 6 designation indicates that a global pandemic is underway.
More than 70 countries are now reporting cases of human infection with novel H1N1 flu. This number has been increasing over the past few weeks, but many of the cases reportedly had links to travel or were localized outbreaks without community spread. The WHO designation of a pandemic alert Phase 6 reflects the fact that there are now ongoing community level outbreaks in multiple parts of world.
WHO’s decision to raise the pandemic alert level to Phase 6 is a reflection of the spread of the virus, not the severity of illness caused by the virus.
Alabama 172 cases 0 deaths
Alaska 23cases 0 deaths
Arkansas 18cases 0 deaths
Arizona 645 cases 7 deaths
California 1245 cases 8 deaths
Colorado 103 cases 0 deaths
Connecticut 767 cases 3 death
Delaware 223 cases 0 deaths
Florida 562 cases 1 death
Georgia 51 cases 0 deaths
Hawaii 279 cases 0 deaths
Idaho 47 cases 0 deaths
Illinois 2526 cases 8
Indiana 223 cases 0 deaths
Iowa 92 cases 0 deaths
Kansas 97 0 deaths
Kentucky 108 0 deaths
Louisiana 134 cases 0 deaths
Maine 42 0 deaths
Maryland 263 0 deaths
Massachusetts 1270 1 death
Michigan 442 cases 2 deaths
Minnesota 365 1 death
Mississippi 81 cases 0 deaths
Missouri 46 cases 1 death
Montana 44 cases 0 deaths
Nebraska 81 cases 0 deaths
Nevada 198 cases 0 deaths
New Hampshire 187 cases 0 deaths
New Jersey 603 cases 2 deaths
New Mexico 155 cases 0 deaths
New York 1300 24 deaths
North Carolina 125 cases 0 deaths
North Dakota 41 cases 0 deaths
Ohio 63 cases 0 deaths
Oklahoma 112 cases 1 death
Oregon 219 cases 1 death
Pennsylvania 942 cases 3 deaths
Rhode Island 94 cases 1 death
South Carolina 83 0 deaths
South Dakota 17 cases 0 deaths
Tennessee 121 cases 0 deaths
Texas 2519 cases 10deaths
Utah 755 cases 8deaths
Vermont 43 cases 0 deaths
Virginia 135 cases 1 death
Washington 588 cases 3deaths
Washington, D.C. 33 cases 0 deaths
West Virginia 77 cases 0 deaths
Wisconsin 3008 cases 1 death
Wyoming 63 cases 0 deaths
Territories
Puerto Rico 18 case 0 deaths
Virgin Islands 1 case 0 deaths
TOTAL*(53) 21,449 cases 87 deaths
Like I said, I will continue to watch this closely and bring you any updates as they come up. Be right back with our IWA
Peter
Sources:
Reuters - CDC sees "something different" with new flu
Hey folks,
In today's health and Science Segment, we are going to look at the latest in the Swine Flu PandemicAccording to Reuters - CDC sees "something different" with new flu By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor Maggie Fox, Health And Science Editor – Fri Jun 19, 9:46 am ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The new strain of H1N1 flu is causing "something different" to happen in the United States this year -- perhaps an extended year-round flu season that disproportionately hits young people, health officials said on Thursday.
An unusually cool late spring may be helping keep the infection going in the U.S. Northeast, especially densely populated areas in New York and Massachusetts, the officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
And infections among healthcare workers suggest that people are showing up at work sick -- meaning that workplace policies may be contributing to its spread, the CDC officials said.
The new strain of swine flu is officially a pandemic now, according to the World Health Organization.
So far the virus is causing mild to moderate disease, but it has killed at least 167 people and been confirmed in nearly 40,000 globally.
The United States has been hardest hit, with upward of 100,000 likely cases and probably far more, with 44 deaths and 1,600 hospitalized.
"The fact that we are seeing ongoing transmission now indicates that we are seeing something different," the CDC's Dr. Daniel Jernigan told a news briefing.
"And we believe that that may have to do with the complete lack of immunity to this particular virus among those that are most likely affected. And those are children," Jernigan added.
"The areas of the country that are most affected, some of them have very high population densities, like Boston and New York. So that may be a contributor as well. Plus the temperature in that part of the country is cooler, and we know that influenza appears to like the cooler times of the year for making transmission for effective."
Jernigan said in areas that are the most affected up to 7 percent of the population has influenza-like illness.
SUMMER OF FLU
"The United States will likely continue to see influenza activity through the summer, and at this point we're anticipating that we will see the novel H1N1 continue with activity probably all the way into our flu season in the fall and winter. The amount of activity we expect to be low, and then pick up later."
One worrying pattern: healthcare workers are being infected, and most reported they did little or nothing to protect themselves, the CDC's Dr. Mike Bell said.
People coming into emergency departments or clinics need to be checked right away for flu symptoms and anyone working with such a patient needs to wear a mask, gloves and eyewear, Bell said.
"We're beginning to see a pattern of healthcare personnel-to-healthcare personnel transmission in some of the clusters, which is also concerning, because it gets to the issue of people showing up to work sick," Bell said.
Doctors, nurses and technicians who have flu can spread it to vulnerable patients, Bell noted.
As of May 13, the CDC said it had received 48 reports of healthcare workers infected with swine flu.
Detailed case reports on 26 showed that 13 were infected in a healthcare setting such as a clinic or hospital and 12 caught it from infected patients, the CDC said in its weekly report on death and disease.
(Additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago, editing by Philip Barbara)
CDC Update
A Pandemic Is Declared
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in response to the ongoing global spread of the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. A Phase 6 designation indicates that a global pandemic is underway.
More than 70 countries are now reporting cases of human infection with novel H1N1 flu. This number has been increasing over the past few weeks, but many of the cases reportedly had links to travel or were localized outbreaks without community spread. The WHO designation of a pandemic alert Phase 6 reflects the fact that there are now ongoing community level outbreaks in multiple parts of world.
WHO’s decision to raise the pandemic alert level to Phase 6 is a reflection of the spread of the virus, not the severity of illness caused by the virus.
Alabama 172 cases 0 deaths
Alaska 23cases 0 deaths
Arkansas 18cases 0 deaths
Arizona 645 cases 7 deaths
California 1245 cases 8 deaths
Colorado 103 cases 0 deaths
Connecticut 767 cases 3 death
Delaware 223 cases 0 deaths
Florida 562 cases 1 death
Georgia 51 cases 0 deaths
Hawaii 279 cases 0 deaths
Idaho 47 cases 0 deaths
Illinois 2526 cases 8
Indiana 223 cases 0 deaths
Iowa 92 cases 0 deaths
Kansas 97 0 deaths
Kentucky 108 0 deaths
Louisiana 134 cases 0 deaths
Maine 42 0 deaths
Maryland 263 0 deaths
Massachusetts 1270 1 death
Michigan 442 cases 2 deaths
Minnesota 365 1 death
Mississippi 81 cases 0 deaths
Missouri 46 cases 1 death
Montana 44 cases 0 deaths
Nebraska 81 cases 0 deaths
Nevada 198 cases 0 deaths
New Hampshire 187 cases 0 deaths
New Jersey 603 cases 2 deaths
New Mexico 155 cases 0 deaths
New York 1300 24 deaths
North Carolina 125 cases 0 deaths
North Dakota 41 cases 0 deaths
Ohio 63 cases 0 deaths
Oklahoma 112 cases 1 death
Oregon 219 cases 1 death
Pennsylvania 942 cases 3 deaths
Rhode Island 94 cases 1 death
South Carolina 83 0 deaths
South Dakota 17 cases 0 deaths
Tennessee 121 cases 0 deaths
Texas 2519 cases 10deaths
Utah 755 cases 8deaths
Vermont 43 cases 0 deaths
Virginia 135 cases 1 death
Washington 588 cases 3deaths
Washington, D.C. 33 cases 0 deaths
West Virginia 77 cases 0 deaths
Wisconsin 3008 cases 1 death
Wyoming 63 cases 0 deaths
Territories
Puerto Rico 18 case 0 deaths
Virgin Islands 1 case 0 deaths
TOTAL*(53) 21,449 cases 87 deaths
Like I said, I will continue to watch this closely and bring you any updates as they come up. Be right back with our IWA
Peter
Sources:
Reuters - CDC sees "something different" with new flu
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