CDC - Is Not Reporting Flu Deaths - But This Season’s Strain Is A Killer
Influenza-associated deaths are not reportable conditions in the United States, and the average annual number of such deaths is unknown. However, cases of sudden death associated with influenza in previously healthy children in the United States have been reported (1; CDC, unpublished data, 2003). During 1990--1999, approximately 92 influenza- associated respiratory and circulatory deaths were estimated to have occurred annually among children aged <5 years (2). However, this estimate was based on mathematical modeling and not on counting fatalities associated with laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection.
Mortality Surveillance — Rapid tracking of influenza-associated deaths is done through two systems:
122 Cities Mortality Reporting System — Each week, the vital statistics offices of 122 cities across the United States report the total number of death certificates processed and the number of those for which pneumonia or influenza was listed as the underlying or contributing cause of death by age group (Under 28 days, 28 days –1 year, 1-14 years, 15-24 years, 25-44 years, 45-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and ≥ 85 years). The percentage of deaths due to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) are compared with a seasonal baseline and epidemic threshold value calculated for each week. The seasonal baseline of P&&I deaths is calculated using a periodic regression model that incorporates a robust regression procedure applied to data from the previous five years. An increase of 1.645 standard deviations above the seasonal baseline of P&&I deaths is considered the “epidemic threshold,” i.e., the point at which the observed proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia or influenza was significantly higher than would be expected at that time of the year in the absence of substantial influenza-related mortality.
Influenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality Surveillance System — Influenza-associated deaths in children (persons less than 18 years) was added as a nationally notifiable condition in 2004. Any laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated death in a child is reported through this system. Demographic and clinical information are collected on each case and are transmitted to CDC.
Additional data can be found at
http://gis.cdc.gov/GRASP/Fluview/PedFluDeath.html. Between October 1, 2013 and January 4, 2014, 2,622 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported. This is a rate of 9.7 per 100,000 population. The most affected age groups are those 0-4 and ≥65 years; however, those aged 18-64 years account for 61% of reported hospitalized cases. Among all hospitalizations, 2,499 (95.3%) were influenza A, 96 (3.7%) were influenza B, 11 (0.4%) were influenza A and B co-infection, and 16 (0.6%) had no virus type information. Among those with influenza A subtype information, 14 (1.4%) were H3 and 1,001 (98.6 %) were 2009 H1N1. The most commonly reported underlying medical conditions among adults were obesity, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and asthma. The most commonly reported underlying medical conditions in children were asthma, obesity, neurologic disorders, chronic lung disease (excluding asthma), and cardiovascular disease. Approximately 43.0% of hospitalized children had no identified underlying medical conditions. Among 84 hospitalized women of childbearing age (15-44 years), nineteen were pregnant. Additional FluSurv-NET data can be found at:
http://gis.cdc.gov/GRASP/Fluview/FluHospRates.html and
http://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/fluview/FluHospChars.html. Weekly updates
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Nashville, Tennessee: As many as 12 Tennesseans killed by this year's flu
http://www.wate.com/story/24439741/as-ma...-years-flu?
NASHVILLE (WKRN) - The strain of flu causing the most illness in Middle Tennessee is the same virus that killed hundreds in 2009.
So far, the H1N1 strain of influenza has killed as many as 12 people in Nashville and the surrounding areas.
Joey Smith, Director of Public Health for Montgomery County told News 2 that the flu normally affects the most people this time of year, but this flu season is different.
"Every year we have deaths from the flu," he said. "The age of the folks that's being reported to us or has shown up, that is something that's different from previous years."
According to the Centers for Disease Control, people 50-64 and 65 and over are the age groups being admitted to hospitals more than others.
Smith said the H1N1 strain is covered by this year's flu vaccine.
"From all of the reports that we've had, this vaccine has been targeting what has been hitting us," he said, adding, "Most of the deaths that we've been seeing could have definitely been prevented."
A spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Public Health told News 2 that some county health departments are beginning to give away flu vaccinations on a first come-first serve basis. In Davidson County, residents can receive flu vaccinations at all three Metro Public Health Clinics on a walk-in basis. The flu shots are available from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Friday.
Flu death toll rises to 5 in Utah
http://www.utahpeoplespost.com/2014/01/f...5-in-utah/
The flu death toll has reached five in Utah with three more deaths reported in southwest region of the state, according to the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.
Health experts said the victims were younger than 64 and were in fairly good health. They were living in the southwest region of Utah.
Out of the 369 hospitalized this season, five have died of influenza this season, says the Utah Department of Health. Three of the flu deaths have occurred within the past two weeks.
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Rush For Flu Vaccine Continues Across North Texas
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/01/13/rush-...rth-texas/
January 13, 2014
The number of people dying from the flu has gone up again in North Texas. Both Collin and Hunt County reported their first flu-related deaths of the season on Monday. In all, 34 people in North Texans have died from flu-related complications so far this season – most of them in Dallas County.
A CBS 11 News crew saw the faces of the flu coming and going at a clinic in west Plano. Medical professionals are saying there’s no shortage of vaccine, but you couldn’t tell that to a number of people who said they had problems getting their children protected.
It took a while but the Zapata family got what they wanted and were leaving a Plano clinic relieved. “We got the flu shots,” mother Veronica Zapata said excitedly.“CVS, Walgreens, I wasn’t wasn’t able to find it.”
A mission to get their seven-year-old daughter vaccinated against the flu took the Zapata’s to a Plano Wal-Mart and four pharmacies – each location turned them away.
The family was finally directed to an after hours clinic that they were told had only two doses left. Father Diego Zapata said, “It was very difficult. It’s not easy. We looked at many places.”
Over the weekend, as many as a 1,000 people waited in line for only 650 doses of the flu vaccine being offered for free to Plano residents. The city has now exhausted its supply and as the death toll rises, more people are wishing they had taken precautions.
The latest flu-related death is a Plano woman in her 50’s who authorities say did not get immunized and had other health problems.
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Four more swine flu deaths reported (California)
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news...-due-swine
Four more swine flu deaths were reported in the Bay Area Monday, two in the South Bay, one on the Peninsula and one in the North Bay, renewing calls from state health officials urging people to get vaccinated as the flu season's peak approaches.
The recent deaths in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Sonoma counties come as pharmacies and Bay Area hospitals were receiving additional doses of flu vaccine to keep up with high demand that caused shortages in some locations last week. Officials in multiple counties, however, have said there is enough supply to go around.
"Our message is the same," said Sherri Willis, a spokeswoman for the Alameda County Public Health Department. "There's still plenty of time, and in most communities, there's plenty of vaccine. It takes two weeks to gain full immunity from the vaccine. As soon as you can get a shot, the better."
Santa Clara County officials confirmed two more deaths on Monday, a 61-year-old and a 62-year-old, bringing the county's total number of H1N1-related fatalities to four, the highest for any Bay Area county. San Mateo County also reported its second death on Monday. In addition, ABC7 reported just after 6 p.m. Monday that Sonoma County officials confirmed that a 54-year-old with underlying conditions had died from the flu.
In all, the nine Bay Area counties and Santa Cruz County have reported 16 flu-related deaths. Alameda County reported three deaths, Marin County reported two, and San Francisco and Contra Costa counties have each reported one death. There have been no deaths reported in Solano and Napa counties, officials said.
Santa Cruz county officials initially reported two deaths last week, but on Monday said only one, the death of a 50-year-old man, had been confirmed as being caused by swine flu. Two others in the county are so far only suspected to be flu-related deaths.
Because the state requires reporting of influenza deaths only in people younger than 65, the number of flu-related deaths could actually be higher. That age requirement began after the swine flu pandemic of 2009-10, when 203,000 people died worldwide, including more than 600 Californians.
As of Jan. 4, only seven deaths were confirmed by the state, while an additional 28 are being investigated. The seven confirmed fatalities up until then, the last time the state released numbers, were in Alameda, Contra Costa, Lassen, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and Stanislaus counties, according to the California Department of Public Health.
H1N1 appears to be the predominant strain this flu season, causing concern because unlike other strains it can result in deadly pneumonia even in young, healthy people. Sonoma County officials said a 23-year-old man who had no underlying health problems died of the H1N1 virus, and a 54-year-old with underlying conditions had also died.
In all, the nine Bay Area counties and Santa Cruz County have reported 16 flu-related deaths this season as of Jan. 13, 2014:
Alameda County: 3
Contra Costa County: 1
Marin County: 2
Napa County: none
San Francisco County: 1
San Mateo County: 2
Santa Clara County: 4
* Santa Cruz County: 1
Solano County: none
Sonoma County: 2
* Santa Cruz County isn't included in the official designation of nine Bay Area counties.
Fresno County Jail inmate dies from flu; 8 Valley deaths reported (California)
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/13/3712...ading.html
A Fresno County Jail inmate died Monday of H1N1 influenza A, bringing to eight the number of central San Joaquin Valley residents who have died of the flu this winter. Kings and Merced counties reported a death Monday -- the third death for each.
The Fresno County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the 61-year-old inmate, who had been admitted to Community Regional Medical Center last week, died Monday afternoon at the hospital. The man, whose identity has not been released, had been in county jail since last September.
Sheriff's spokesman Chris Curtice said three inmates have the H1N1 influenza A virus and are in an isolation pod set up specifically for flu cases. Nine other jail inmates have flu symptoms -- eight men and one woman -- and are being tested for H1N1, also sometimes called the "swine flu."
Areas in the north and south jail annex are under quarantine or "lock down" to prevent the spread of the virus, the office said. Inmates are being checked for symptoms daily and will be checked for at least the next several days, the office said. Inmates are being offered flu shots.
Last week, central San Joaquin Valley counties reported five deaths: two in Merced County, one in Fresno County and two in Kings County. Hospitals in California are required to report flu deaths of people under age 65.
Kings County was notified Monday afternoon of a death of a middle-aged woman with influenza.
The woman had no underlying medical conditions to put her at higher risk of complications from the flu, said Sharon Soong, the county's communicable disease coordinator. Last week, the county reported the deaths of two middle-aged men, one of whom also had no underlying medical problems.
The three flu victims had not gotten flu shots this season, Soong said. Fresno County reported a woman who died last week had not gotten a flu shot. It was not known whether the others who died in the Valley had the vaccine. The flu shot protects against the H1N1 strain.
Merced County was notified Monday afternoon of its latest flu death, said Kathleen Grassi, the county's health director. She did not know if the person had gotten a flu shot.
Merced County's latest influenza victim was between 35 and 50 years of age, Grassi said. "It's not the elderly or the very young, it's adults" who are being stricken, she said.
Note that half the people who are hospitalized are in intensive care.
California: 15th flu death reported in Kern County
Posted: 01/28/2014
Last Updated: 1 day ago
Nela Lichtscheidl
http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/...ern-county
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