The Swine Flu Is Still Out There

Hey folks,

In the Health and Science Segment this week, we will check in with the Swine Flu. Since it IS still out there, and DOES still pose a threat, I am still following the progress. The H1N1, or Swine Flu, is still out there. According to our new friends over at Disease.com, it is also starting to slowly show signs of possible mutations.

For the past month, H1N1 mutations have been popping up all over the world. Organizations such as yourself, who have been the catalyst for the spread of awareness and extensive research, are important now, more than ever. We at, Disease.com (a site dedicated to to disease treatments and preventions), are inspired by the great work by your organization, and would like to join you in the fight. If you could, please list us as a resource or host our social book mark button, it would be much appreciated. It is about time we get rid of this "national emergency".

Thank you Lisa. According to MSNBC / Reuters - H1N1 mutation found in some flu fatalities Change in virus could cause severest symptoms, Norwegian scientists said

OSLO - Norwegian health authorities said Friday they have discovered a potentially significant mutation in the H1N1 influenza strain that could be responsible for causing the severest symptoms among those infected.

"The mutation could be affecting the virus' ability to go deeper into the respiratory system, thus causing more serious illness," the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said in a statement.

The concern over mutation of the H1N1 virus came as health officials said the H1N1 virus is moving eastwards across Europe and Asia after appearing to peak in parts of western Europe and the United States, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

There are "early signs of a peak in disease activity in some areas of the northern hemisphere," the WHO said in a statement Friday.

At least 6,770 deaths have been recorded worldwide since the swine flu virus emerged in April, according to the latest WHO update which showed 520 known fatalities in the past week.

Authorities added they had no reason to believe the mutation had any implication for the effect of flu vaccines or antiviral drugs made by groups such as Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis or AstraZeneca.

In Norway the mutation was found in the bodies of two people killed by the virus and of one person made seriously ill.

The two people infected by the mutated virus were among the first fatalities from the H1N1 pandemic in Norway, the institute said. The WHO is investigating samples of the virus in those two people.

It was unclear whether the mutated virus was transmitted among humans, the health authorities said.

"Based on what we know so far, it doesn't seem like the mutated virus is circulating in the population, but rather that spontaneous changes have happened in the three patients," director Geir Stene Larsen at the public health institute said in the statement.

In some later fatalities linked to H1N1 that were studied, the same mutation was not found. It had found other mutations in some other cases, but the mutations found in two of the first fatalities and one seriously ill patient had been of "particular interest," it said.

Norway has seen relatively more fatalities in the flu pandemic compared to the size of the population versus other European countries, with 23 confirmed deaths and 680,000 estimated to have been infected.

Public health authorities have said this could be due to the country being hit early in the pandemic's northern hemisphere winter wave, before a mass vaccination program got underway.

"Nevertheless, it is important to study if there's still something about the Norwegian fatalities that separate us from other countries, and that make us learn something that strengthens our treatment of the seriously ill," director Bjorn-Inge Larsen at the Norwegian Directorate of Health said.

Still widespread in U.S.

H1N1 flu is still widespread across the United States although it appears to have recently peaked in most areas except the northeast. But transmission continues to intensify in Canada, with the highest number of doctor visits by children.

Spread of the flu appears to have peaked in western European countries including Belgium, Britain, Iceland and Ireland after a period of intense outbreaks, the United Nations agency said.

Norway and countries further east including Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Serbia are reporting sharp increases in influenza-like illness or acute respiratory infection, it said.

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and parts of Afghanistan — particularly Kabul — are reporting higher numbers of flu cases. Israel is also reporting sharp increases.

"Essentially what is happening is that it is spreading eastwards," Anthony Mounts, medical epidemiologist on WHO's influenza team, told Reuters. "Typically seasonal influenza always starts west and moves eastwards. It seems to be following that pattern except it is coming very early this year."

Flu transmission remains active in east Asia, the WHO said. "In Japan, influenza activity remains elevated but stable nationally and may be decreasing slightly in populated urban areas," it said.

Most countries in tropical areas of central and South America continue to report declining numbers of flu cases, with the exception of Peru and Colombia, it said.

Here is your CDC Update

CDC H1N1 Flu Website Situation Update, December 11, 2009

Key Flu Indicators

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week of November 29-December 5, 2009, influenza activity decreased over the previous week across all key indicators except for deaths, but most indicators remain higher than normal for this time of year. Below is a summary of the most recent key indicators:

Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness (ILI) nationally decreased again this week over last week. This is the sixth consecutive week of national decreases in ILI after four consecutive weeks of sharp increases. While ILI has declined, visits to doctors for influenza-like illness remain elevated nationally.

Influenza hospitalization rates have decreased across all age groups but remain higher than expected for this time of year. Though declining, hospitalization rates continue to be highest in children 0-4 years old.

The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) based on the 122 Cities Report increased over the previous week and has been higher than expected for ten consecutive weeks. In addition, 16 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported this week: 13 of these deaths were associated with laboratory confirmed 2009 H1N1, 2 were associated with influenza A viruses that were not subtyped and one was associated with a seasonal influenza B virus. Since April 2009, CDC has received reports of 267 laboratory-confirmed pediatric deaths: 224 due to 2009 H1N1, 41 pediatric deaths that were laboratory confirmed as influenza, but the flu virus subtype was not determined, and two pediatric deaths were associated with seasonal influenza viruses. (Laboratory-confirmed deaths are thought to represent an undercount of the actual number. CDC has provided estimates about the number of 2009 H1N1 cases and related hospitalizations and deaths. The increase in the proportion of deaths as other indicators are going down is not surprising as the occurrence and reporting of deaths usually lags behind that of other indicators.

Fourteen states are reporting widespread influenza activity; a decline of 11 states from last week. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia

Almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far continue to be 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and remain susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir with rare exception.

*All data are preliminary and may change as more reports are received.

Cases Defined by Hospitalizations Deaths

Influenza Laboratory-Tests** 33,490 1,445

*Reports can be based on syndromic, admission or discharge data, or a combination of data elements that could include laboratory-confirmed and influenza-like illness hospitalizations.

*Laboratory confirmation includes any positive influenza test (rapid influenza tests, RT-PCR, DFA, IFA, or culture), whether or not typing was done.
The table shows aggregate reports of all laboratory confirmed influenza hospitalizations and deaths (including 2009 H1N1 and seasonal flu) since August 30, 2009 received by CDC from U.S. states and territories**. This table will be updated weekly each Friday at 11 a.m. For the 2009-2010 influenza season, states are reporting based on new case definitions for hospitalizations and deaths effective August 30, 2009.

CDC will continue to use its traditional surveillance systems to track the progress of the 2009-2010 influenza season. For more information about influenza surveillance, including reporting of influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths, see Questions and Answers: Monitoring Influenza Activity, Including 2009 H1N1.

The number of 2009 H1N1 hospitalizations and deaths reported to CDC from April – August 2009 is available on the Past Situation Updates page.
For state level information, refer to state health departments.
International Human Cases of 2009 H1N1 Flu Infection

**States report weekly to CDC either 1) laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations and deaths or 2) pneumonia and influenza syndrome-based cases of hospitalization and death resulting from all types or subtypes of influenza. Although only the laboratory confirmed cases are included in this report, CDC continues to analyze data both from laboratory confirmed and syndromic hospitalizations and deaths.

So I will repeat. I am not interesting in taking the Swine Flu Shot. It DOES seem to be reducing in reported numbers, but it is still out there. If you get treated early enough, just like the regular Seasonal Flu, you will most likely recover.

However, if it DOES mutate, as I warned you about before, the Swine Flu shot will not protect you. So whatever you choose to do, take precautions on NOT getting it to begin with. Wash your hands. If you see someone showing signs of being sick, stay away from them. If YOU start feeling sick, remember the F.A.C.T.S. of the Flu? F - Fever, A - Aches, C - Chills, T - Tiredness, S - Sudden Symptoms. Go get checked out by a Doctor and get an early jump on it. just because this is not Front Page News right now, does not mean all is well. Be safe, and be healthy.
Peter