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Apr 30th, 2009


The Swine Flu

LATEST REPORTS

Swine Flu Alert Raised to Level 5 — Global Outbreak Deemed ‘Imminent’

Image: Going to work in Mexico City
Claudia Daut / Reuters

Map: Track the disease

Symptoms, precautions

More information

5/21/09 U.S. Update

U.S. Swine Flu Deaths Hit Double Digits

Image: Math teacher Emelinda Mabulay places flowers
Math teacher Emelinda Mabulay places flowers in memory of her supervisor Mitchell Wiener, who was assistant principal at IS 238 Susan B. Anthony School in New York. Wiener died earlier this week after contracting swine flu. (Photo credit: Craig Ruttle / AP)


May 21, 2009

SALT LAKE CITY — Swine flu forced Christina Huitron to make a choice no mother should ever have to make.

On Wednesday she told doctors to take her 21-year-old son off life support, making Marcos Sanchez the nation’s 10th fatality associated with the newly discovered virus that continues to spread across the globe.

“I knew he was suffering,” Christina Huitron told KSL-TV. “I don’t know how he was feeling, but I just knew I had to do it because he was passing away slowly anyways, and I didn’t want him to suffer anymore.”

Sanchez checked into a suburban hospital Saturday, vomiting blood and burning with fever, Huitron told The Salt Lake Tribune. By Tuesday he was suffering from multiple organ failure. …

In neighboring Arizona, health officials said Wednesday a 13-year-old boy from Tucson also has died with swine flu. The teenager died Friday of complications from the flu. He had been hospitalized May 10. …

Swine flu has sickened more than 11,000 people in 41 countries and killed 85, according to the World Health Organization, whose figures often trail those of individual countries. …

In New York City, officials, colleagues, friends and family gathered Wednesday at a funeral home to remember Mitchell Wiener, an 55-year-old assistant principal who died of swine flu Sunday. …

——

6/19/09 U.S. Update

U.S. Swine Flu Cases Top 21,000 as Deaths Rise

Video
Officials warn of continued swine flu (NBC News Channel, June 19, 2009) — Health officials warn of second wave of H1N1 flu. NBC’s Leanne Gregg reports. (01:16)


June 19, 2009

WASHINGTON — America’s count of swine flu cases has risen to 21,449 cases and the number of deaths have nearly doubled to 87.

The continued spread signals 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, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The latest numbers, released Friday by the CDC is a jump from last week’s count of 18,000 cases and 44 deaths.

Worldwide, the number of confirmed cases reached 44,287, the WHO reported Friday. WHO says cases increased by more than 10 percent in two days. …

A total of 93 countries had reported cases to WHO by Friday.

In the U.S., Wisconsin, Illinois and Texas were the states with the most reported illnesses, and the Illinois count rose more than 500 since the last report. But CDC officials say much of the most recent flu activity has been in the Northeast. A quarter of the new deaths were in New York. …

And infections among health care workers suggest that people are showing up at work sick — meaning that workplace policies may be contributing to its spread, officials reported.

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. The United States has been hardest hit, with upward of 100,000 likely unconfirmed cases and probably far more.

“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 more 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: health care workers are being infected, and most reported they did little or nothing to protect themselves, the CDC’s Dr. Mike Bell said. …

Doctors, nurses and technicians who have flu can spread it to vulnerable patients, Bell noted. At least 81 health care workers have been infected.

——

8/30/09 U.S. Update

Return of Swine Flu: What’s Next for Americans?

U.S. and rest of Northern Hemisphere brace for fall surge of H1N1


Aug. 30, 2009

WASHINGTON — The alarm sounded with two sneezy children in California in April. Just five months later, the never-before-seen swine flu has become the world’s dominant strain of influenza, and it’s putting a shockingly younger face on flu.

So get ready. With flu’s favorite chilly weather fast approaching, we’re going to be a sick nation this fall. The big unknown is how sick. One in five people infected or a worst case — half the population? The usual 36,000 deaths from flu or tens of thousands more?

The World Health Organization predicts that within two years, nearly one-third of the world’s population will have caught it. …

Full report

——

CENTRAL MINNESOTA / MN 6th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT REPORTS AND UPDATES

Rocori students return to class (May 6, 2009)

State finds 8 probable flu cases (May 1, 2009)

Governor, health officials urge calm (April 30, 2009)

Updated: Apr. 30 09:23 AM

CDC confirms new flu strain in MN patient
Testing by the Centers for Disease Control confirmed the Minnesota resident with ties to ROCORI Middle School did contract the H1N1 novel virus …

Central Minnesota awaits results of swine flu test (April 30, 2009)


Rocori Middle School (Photo credit: KARE 11)

Area Legislators Respond to Possible Swine Flu Case in Cold Spring 

“It has come to my attention that a Minnesotan with close ties to the Sixth District is possibly infected with the swine flu. I am grateful that the individual appears to be recovering, and I want to assure 6th District residents that I am closely monitoring the situation to ensure that state and local officials have the necessary resources to alert the public and prevent this occurrence from spreading further.” — U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.

“I must stress that although this issue is serious, we need not be reactionary. The best protection against contagions like influenza is reasoned thinking and information. As a longtime member of the Health and Human Services budget committee, I am confident that the state is well prepared for public health emergencies.” — Sen. Michelle Fischbach, R-Paynesville

“Now is the time to pay attention to the advice of national, state and local public health officials and your own doctor, not rumors on the Internet, talk radio, cable news or anywhere else. If we want to get through this or any other potential epidemic, it just makes sense to pay heed to the people who know what they’re talking about.” — Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, and Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph, in a joint statement

College of St. Benedict | St. John’s University swine flu update (April 29, 2009)

MN-06 U.S, Rep. Michele Bachmann comments on swine flu outbreak (April 28, 2009)

Related report on this site

Pandemic Fear Spreads in U.S. (April 26, 2009)

RESOURCES

Minnesota Department of Health: 800 657-3903

Stearns County Emergency Operations Center: 320 650-5802





2 Responses to “MN-06 H1N1 Situation Report”
  1. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Gulf Oil Spill Is The Big One Says:

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  2. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Gadhafi Kin Killed in Airstrike Says:

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