Key Points
H1N1 remains active in Southeast, CDC, states remain vigilant
CDC urges vaccination as H1N1 increases in Southeast
Overview:
CDC  continues  to see people with serious illness from the pandemic H1N1 virus – particularly in some Southeastern states, and vaccination is the best way to protect yourself or those you love from further illness or death. 
 
Flu Activity Update General Information
·       Over the course of the pandemic so far in the United States, we estimate that nearly 60 million people have become ill with influenza, 265,000 were hospitalized, and about 12,000 died due to the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus.
·       Although disease rates are now much lower around the country than they were last fall, the H1N1 virus is still circulating, and people continue to become ill with this virus.
·       H1N1 has been causing more disease recently in the Southeast, where several states report regional or local activity.
o   Three states are reporting regional activity --Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.  Local activity is reported in Puerto Rico and eight states, mostly in the southeast -: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia - as well as in Hawaii and New Mexico.
o   The activity we see in CDC’s influenza surveillance is consistent with regional flu activity at college campuses in the Southeast reported by the American College Health Association.
·       Nearly all of the influenza viruses circulating are the H1N1 pandemic virus – we have not seen seasonal flu in substantial numbers
 
CDC-GA Investigation as Information
 
·       For the past several weeks, the Georgia Department of Community Health has reported an increase in flu-related hospitalizations. On March 5, Georgia requested that a team from CDC assist them with a more in-depth investigation.
·       Since March 12, CDC staff has  been working with Georgia public health officials to analyze flu cases, hospitalizations and deaths reported during the winter months and compare them to previous influenza activity reported during the summer/fall wave of 2009 H1N1 to determine what might be contributing to the recent increase in flu activity in Georgia  
·       We don’t have any evidence at this time that the virus has changed.  Most of those hospitalizations that have been reviewed occurred in adults with underlying conditions that put them at higher risk of severe influenza.  The findings so far suggest the value of vaccination, particularly among adults with chronic illnesses or advanced age who are more likely to become severely ill if they encounter the H1N1 virus.
 

H1N1 Vaccine Update – plenty of vaccine available
 
·       Vaccine is widely available across the United States at doctor’s offices, health departments, and pharmacies
·       Even if you put off being vaccinated until now, vaccination with the H1N1 influenza vaccine is still beneficial – especially in SE states where H1N1 appears to be more active at the moment
o   CDC strongly urges people with underlying health conditions and those over age 65 to get vaccinated. Vaccine supplies are plentiful and the circulating virus still closely matches the one in the pandemic vaccine.  We have excellent safety data on the H1N1 vaccine.

Predictions – the future is hard to predict
 
·       There is a great deal we do not know about why the virus remains more active in some parts of the country and not others.
     ·       We do know that the virus is still around and vaccine is very safe and the best way to protect yourself or your loved ones from flu      

For more information you can contact the Mount Olive Township Health Department  973-691-0900