Tag Archives: flu

International

H7N9 & pigs in river update!

02 April 2013/21 Jumada l-Ula 1434/13 Farvardin 1391/22 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

After two people in Shanghai died from a new H7N9 bird flu, the Shanghai Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center tested 34 of the thousands of dead pigs that filled the Huangpu River.  No bird flu was found in the tested pigs.

Of more concern is that the three human cases of H7N9 are not related.  The two men that died in Shanghai were not connected.  One was 87 years old, the other was 27.

The third person, a 35 years old woman now in critical condition, lives in a different province (Chuzhou city of Anhui Province).  This means the H7N9 jumped from birds to humans in different locations at about the same time.  The fear is that it will start jumping human to human.

Back in Shanghai city, 100 monitoring operations are located in hospitals and clinics, to report any new SARS or human bird flu cases.  Since November last year the only cases have been the two H7N9 deaths.

H7N9 in humans is so new that little is known about how it works.

 

Influenza

Influenza update, 31 March 2013: New killer H7N9! More people dying of Swine Flu! Government cover up! Flu season twice as long as last year’s! Preps underway for pandemic! More studies say vaccine is bad for you!

China is reporting two people dead, caused by the latest type of bird flu, H7N9.  The UN World Health Organization (WHO) says the human deaths in China are the first in the world for this type of bird flu.  Two men in Shanghai (the same place where thousands of dead pigs were pulled from the river, some reports say as many as 3300) became the first people known to get infected with H7N9 bird flu, and it killed them fast.  A third person is infected, a woman, and she in in the hospital in critical condition.

In the recent past health officials were concerned with H5N1 bird flu, but H7N9 looks to be more lethal, now that it’s jumping to humans.

On top of the dead pigs in the Huangpu River, Chinese have also been pulling thousands of dead ducks out of the Pengshan/Nanhe River.

In Australia, two people died at a old folks home in Queensland. There was an outbreak of flu.  14 people were infected with flu A.  Seven were hospitalized and 15 employees became sick as well.  This is just the beginning of the flu season Down Under.

In Pakistan, flu has made an appearance by killing a doctor.  Recently a surgeon at the Holy Family Hospital died.  Nurses at the hospital complain that only doctors are given gloves and masks, while they and ward boys go unprotected.  Pakistan’s National Institute of Health said the doctor’s death was the result of his being treated for allergies with steroids which weakened his immune system.  There have been five deaths related to other types of flus as well.

In the country of Georgia, health officials reporting 22 deaths connected to both versions of H1N1 bird and swine flu.

In India, more deaths being reported.  A woman just died from H1N1 swine flu in the state of Gujarat.  Gujarat and Rajasthan are dealing with the most cases of swine flu.  In all of India, from 01 January to 24 March there have been at least 445 human deaths caused by swine flu!  But wait, there’s more!  Gujarat is expecting thousands of religious pilgrims for two days of religious celebrations, and the fear is swine flu will spread like wildfire.  They’ve even called up 2500 law enforcement/health personnel: “Following the alert we have in all set up 16 stalls of which 6 will be in Dakor while 10 will be on the routes leading to the holy place. We will keep an eye on people who may have swine flu like symptoms and will convince them to return.”–HF Patel, district health officer of Kheda

Despite the obvious epidemic in India, the Indian Council of Medical Research actually ordered state health officials to treat swine flu as a normal seasonal flu.  This brought condemnation and accusations of government cover up from the High Court in Gurjarat, the hardest hit state.   The Gurjarat High Court is basing their case on the number of prisoner requests to visit sick and dying relatives, which has skyrocketed, and the fact that even doctors are dying.  The court gave local health officials until 09 April to present a detailed report of cases.  A judge blasted the poor conditions of government run hospitals: “Even for patients there are no beds in hospitals, what rain basera [guest beds?] for their relatives? This is an eye-wash! They are sleeping outside the Civil Hospital. And health and hygiene are worst in government hospitals.”

In United Kingdom, reports say swine flu is resistant to treatment with Tamiflu. A study done in collaboration with UN WHO and Australian researchers, shows a small increase in swine flu that is resistant to Tamiflu.  But the big worry is that most of the patients in the study had never been treated with Tamiflu before, which means they caught a swine flu that had become resistant to Tamiflu on its own.

In Sweden, researchers confirmed that the swine flu vaccine, Pandemrix, causes narcolepsy.  The government ordered the Swedish Medical Products Agency (Läkemedelsverket) to do the study, when more than a hundred people developed the sleeping disorder after getting the flu shot.  The study found that the younger you are the more chance of getting narcolepsy from Pandemrix.

In Republic of Ireland, people are protesting the Health Minister, because of increased cases of narcolepsy in children. Last April the Minister issued the results of their own study which showed swine flu vaccine causes narcolepsy. Some Irish families are now suing GlaxoSmith-Kline, the maker of Pandemrix.

Speaking of vaccines, in Texas U.S.A., A&M University announced it’s joining with pharmaceutical companies to help prepare for a influenza pandemic.  They are helping to create and run a $91 million USD vaccine factory. The goal is to be able to produce 50 million doses within four months of a pandemic outbreak!

In Belgium, health officials announced the worst of their flu season has past. They said the epidemic lasted 12 weeks, compared to only six weeks last year.  At the peak of the epidemic 1083 people sought medical help.

The U.S. Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention says the dominate strain of influenza is now flu B.

 

 

 

Influenza

Influenza update, 26 March 2013: More than 100 children in the U.S. die! Infected chickens sold to public! Naproxen turning out to be anti-flu? More proof vaccines don’t work! Swine flu killing hundreds in the past two months! Warning about Super Flu!

The U.S. CDC says 105 children have died so far this flu season.  They also claim that 90% did not get vaccinated.

In Minnesota U.S.A., deaths have hit 180!  Four in the past week.  compare that to last last flu season when 33 Minnesotans died.

In Pennsylvania U.S.A., doctors are concerned about increasing cases of flu B: “I think the reason it surprises me in March is that it was an early season too. So this season has been going on a long time. This has been a bad flu season.”-Scott Tyson, Pediatrics South Mount Lebanon

In Licking County, Ohio U.S.A., health officials report 2378 flu cases as of 09 March. They expect more.

In South Dakota U.S.A., the state Department of Health says 36 people have died so far.  11% of deaths are Native Americans.

In the world of professional baseball and basketball several players are out sick with flu.

In New Hampshire U.S.A., pet owners are being warned about the new H3N8 dog flu. The new to dogs disease has hit Vermont and Massachusetts.

North Dakota U.S.A. reporting cases of dog flu.

In New Zealand, doctors are urging people to get flu shots.  There have already been some flu cases in Kiwiland, but the official flu season hasn’t started yet.  Kiwi docs say it takes two weeks after getting a flu vaccine before it’s effective.

In Canada, health officials in the Province of Alberta are whining about the lack of people getting flu shots.  The provinces have mandated vaccination goals, and Alberta has reached only half its goal.  Health officials are also complaining about the lack of infants being vaccinated, but one family that got their baby vaccinated says it did no good:  “Even with the vaccination, he has been sick every month. So whether the vaccination worked or not, I’m not sure, but we did it as a precaution.”-Binod Pouyal, father of 19 months old who’s been sick ever since getting the shot

A Canadian company says tobacco protein can be used to grow cultures for flu vaccines.  Currently vaccines are made using chicken eggs, and some people are allergic.  Then there’s the recently approved way using bug guts.  Medicago says their new tobacco based system can grow more cultures in less time.

Researchers in France say naproxen is showing promise as an anti-flu viral medication.  The study was published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.  Apparently naproxen interferes with flu A viruses’ ability to bind with your cells.

In the state of Gurjurat, India, as of 23 March 149 people have died from swine flu! Local media reporting that the swine flu epidemic is so bad that the state government refuses to release anymore health data to the public. Public officials are currently debating how to handle the release of health data.

In the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Indore district, six new H1N1 swine flu cases were reported, four are in critical condition.  So far 31 people are confirmed infected and 12 have died.  And in the state of Maharashtra, Pune district, health officials say 25 people got infected with H1N1, and six of them died, all in the past two and a half months!

In Netherlands, bird flu hit poultry farms in Flevoland province. 24000 chickens were destroyed.

Vietnam reporting bird flu outbreaks across the country.

Bird flu is infecting poultry farms in Bangladesh, and some of the thousands of infected chickens were sold to the public: “We came to know that a large number of poultry farms have been affected by bird flu virus in the northern districts include Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha…..we fear the authorities have allowed the farmers to market the sick chickens.”-Khandokar Mohsin, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association

At the University of California Los Angeles, researchers have discovered that if you combine bird flu and human flu you’ll get killer “super” flus. This is based on research in Bangladesh, China and Egypt: “The mixing of genetic material between the seasonal human flu virus and bird flu can create novel virus strains that are more lethal than either of the original viruses.”-Thomas Smith, UCLA

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International

New Bird Flu? First pigs now thousands of dead ducks pulled from river! Pigs in river now past 16000!

26 March 2013/14 Jumada l-Ula 1434/06 Farvardin 1391/15 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

In Sichuan Province, China, locals have been pulling dead ducks from the Pengshan River.  At least 1000 so far.

Health officials are not able to determine what killed the ducks, as most were too decomposed.  Officials say there is no concern over the water in the Pengshan as it’s not used for drinking.

However, over in Zhejiang and Shanghai provinces the Huangpu River is used for drinking, and that’s where the number of dead pigs has hit 16000!

A week ago health officials blamed weather, government cuts and the economy for the pig deaths.

 

Influenza

Influenza update, 17 March 2013: Ellen Degeneres down! H1N1 spreading! More studies reveal vaccines do not work, and can paralyze you! 12000 dead pigs found in river! A study suggest that breathing spreads flu faster than sneezing!

Reports that Ellen Degeneres canceled a weeks worth of TV shows, and her trip to Australia, because she’s sick: “People of Australia! I’m down, but I’m not out. I’ll be in Sydney next weekend, and Melbourne after that. More details soon!”

Speaking of Australia, a new bird flu is popping up, as the flu season is starting early Down Under. Ducks and chickens in Western Australia were confirmed to have a H5 type flu.  At least 95 poultry were euthanized. Health officials say from January to February 2013, more than 700 human cases of flu were reported. That’s significantly higher than usual, and much earlier than usual.

Researchers from multiple U.S. schools of medicine and public health say simple breathing can spread flu faster than sneezing. They analyzed droplets from infected people’s relaxed breath and found that it contained far more amount of virus, than if they had sneezed!!!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said flu activity in the States is still active, but decreasing in some areas.  So far 90 children have died.  The CDC tracks only child deaths caused by influenza, they do not keep tabs on adult flu related deaths.

In New York U.S.A., health officials are reporting a surprise resurgence in flu cases. Several counties are reporting more flu cases, along with norovirus, sinusitis and strep bacterial infections.

In California U.S.A., University of California Los Angeles researchers are preparing to track a possible pandemic: “Using surveillance of influenza cases in humans and birds, we’ve come up with a technique to predict sites where these viruses could mix and generate a future pandemic.”-Trevon Fuller, Predicting Hotspots for Influenza Virus Reassortment

Also in California, San Diego County has now seen 51 deaths.  There have been 5046 lab confirmed cases so far this season. San Diego saw a record setting 58 flu related deaths back in the 2009-10 H1N1 pandemic.

In Oklahoma U.S.A., 33 deaths including one last week. At least 1036 people have been hospitalized.

In Pennsylvania U.S.A., so far 174 people have died from flu complications.

In South Dakota U.S.A., a 35th person has died.

Health officials in Racine County, Wisconsin U.S.A., are calling it one of their worst seasons for flu cases: “We had two really mild seasons, and this last year was regular. We haven’t even had a second peak yet.”-Dottie-Kay Bowersox, City of Racine Health Department

In the Fertile Crescent country of Jordan, four people have died from H1N1 (a type of swine flu).

An experiment on vaccinated pigs, who were then infected with a version of H1N1 from Thailand, suggests that a vaccine for H1N1 does not work:  “The present study demonstrated that both the pH1N1 and rH1N1 influenza viruses, isolated from naturally infected pigs, induced acute respiratory disease in experimentally inoculated nursery pigs.”-Virology Journal 2013

More bad news for anyone who got a H1N1 shot.  It concerns vaccines given in 2009-10, in the United States.  A new U.S. Department of Health & Human Services study suggests that some people could be paralyzed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.  It’s already been shown that the vaccine used in the 1976 swine flu epidemic caused Guillain-Barré syndrome.  During the six weeks after the 2009 vaccine was first given, 54 cases of the paralyzing syndrome were reported.  Researchers still don’t know why the vaccine causes some people’s immune systems to attack their nervous systems.

Despite all the studies showing how ineffective flu vaccines really are, Iran has decided to start making their own. Iranian officials say their motivation is to save money, as the imported flu shots are very expensive for their government health system.

Another U.S. Department of Health & Human Services NIH study says weather has more effect on infections, and it has nothing to do with people staying indoors during cold/rainy weather: “One hypothesis that is often used to explain tropical influenza activity is that people congregate indoors more frequently during the rainy season, increasing contact rates and disease transmission. There is little data to confirm this…..The predictions of our climate-based models compared favorably to epidemiological information collected independently…”-Cecile Viboud, researcher

Another study says your body’s ability to repair and recover from a flu infection could determine your risk for future infections. The study looked at immune system cells called cytokine interleukin-22 (IL-22), used in the repair of lungs of children sick with flu: “With the increasing prevalence of more infective and/or virulent strains of influenza, understanding the impact of virus on the host epithelium and the processes involved in lung repair are of great importance. A key finding is that even after the resolution of infection, influenza results in lung parenchymal remodeling that may be critical to susceptibility to further injury.”-John F. Alcorn, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

In Vermont U.S.A., more cases of dogs getting sick with the relatively new canine flu (it mutated from horse flu).  Dogs are going down fast as this is a new disease for them.

In Florida U.S.A., several horses have been quarantined at the Horse Shows in the Sun facility in Ocala: “The biosecurity measures we’ve put in place for EHV-1 should assist with reduction of the transmission of the flu virus. We’re being as proactive as we can.”-Mark Fagan, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

New Jersey U.S.A., reporting a blood shortage and is importing 30% of their blood supply from other states.  This is because local blood donations are way down due to too many people being infected.

Health officials in Austria are reporting that case numbers are more than 10000 per week! They say H1N1 is the top flu, followed by H3N2 and a mild form of flu B.

In Hong Kong, health officials reporting an outbreak in the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.  The flu has been identified only as a type A flu.

India continues to see increased cases of swine flu. Health officials are blaming humidity and warmer temps. Flu cases, and deaths, are reported at state levels in India, and they are growing rapidly.

In Shanghai, China, people are concerned about the ongoing case of dead pigs in a local river.  The number of dead pigs found in the river has now hit 12000!  The pigs are coming from farming areas upstream.  Officials are looking at the possibility of a new more deadly swine flu.  The Huangpu river is the main source of drinking water for tens of millions of people.

Influenza

Influenza update, 02 March 2013: More reasons to avoid the vaccine! Swine flu coming back! New bird flu killing people fast!

02 March 2013/19 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/12 Esfand 1391

While the main streamers have been reporting a decline in flu cases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said cases of flu B are increasing.

A nursing student became the fifth person to die from flu in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania U.S.A.

Iowa U.S.A. records its first infant death due to the flu.

Indiana U.S.A. reporting 61 deaths.

In Ohio U.S.A., ProMedica lifted visitor restrictions at its hospitals.

Oklahoma U.S.A. reporting 30 deaths.

In Minnesota U.S.A., 17 more people died in past two weeks.  Health officials say five times as many have died, so far, as did in the 2011-12 season.

In Montana U.S.A., visitor restrictions have been lifted at Billings hospitals, except for neo-natal intensive care units.

San Diego County, in California U.S.A., reporting near record deaths, now at 43.

In Nova Scotia, Canada, the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgwater is considering restricting visitation to its forth floor.  This is because of an apparent flu outbreak.

A new study says that getting vaccinated two years in a row actually makes it easier for you to get sick! Researchers looked at case histories of the 2010-11 flu season in Michigan U.S.A., and found that vaccines did nothing to prevent people from getting sick, unless it was the first time they got vaccinated.  Basically the data suggests that people who get vaccinated year after year are wasting their time, and it has health researchers puzzled because it blows away the official mantra that you should get flu shots every year!

In the United Kingdom, a study shows that there is a link between swine flu vaccines and narcolepsy in children: “The increased risk of narcolepsy after vaccination with ASO3 adjuvanted pandemic A/H1N1 2009 vaccine indicates a causal association, consistent with findings from Finland.”-Elizabeth Miller, Health Protection Agency

This comes as India reports thousands of new swine flu cases. The territory of Delhi is dealing with more than one thousand cases in the past two months, 11 people have died. India’s Health Ministry says 275 people have died since 01 January 2013.  The state of Rajasthan has the most deaths, at 112 so far.

Also in India, the Animal Diseases Research Institute has been testing birds for the new version of H5N1. So far many healthy birds with no symptoms are testing positive:  “Some of the wild ducks are carriers of the virus which may have led to the positive flu report by Bhopal-based High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory. Even the Northern Pintail, which tested positive, was healthy.”-unnamed Animal Diseases Research Institute source

In Cambodia, the newest H5N1 bird flu has become so rampant that the government is ordering health officials, and even police, to stop it.  At least eight people, mainly children, have died in the past six weeks!  To put that in perspective, in the previous ten years only 19 Cambodians have died from H5N1. The most recent victim was a 35 years old man who ate an infected duck.  Health officials say this year’s bird flu is jumping to humans more easily: “We conducted investigations and found that all the cases were transmission from the poultry. There is no evidence of transmission from human to human at this stage.”-Ly Sovann, Ministry of Health’s deputy director for communicable diseases control

Hong Kong reports two people dead from H5N1 in the past two weeks.

Note that India, Cambodia and Hong Kong are places that are considered humid (like most of South Asia and South East Asia), and they have relatively higher influenza cases.  Now the CDC issued a report saying flu viruses become weaker in humid conditions. One CDC official said “The virus just falls apart” at higher humidity levels. Yeah right, try telling that to the people living in humid South East Asia!

Influenza

U.S. Influenza, 10 December 2012: More deaths reported! Children being hit hardest! Canadians say you can’t trust the numbers. New Russian bird flu! New Asian cat & dog flu!

“Significant increases in flu activity in the U.S. in the last three weeks…”-U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

One hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, in just the past week confirmed 200 cases of flu, mostly kids: “Right now hundreds of kids in the emergency room this week. We’ve had over 200 diagnoses of flu. Eight to 10 admitted to the hospital a day and two in intensive care. It’s really hitting Memphis hard.”-John McCullers, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

On 07 December, South Dakota‘s Pennington County reported their first flu death. There are 156 confirmed cases.

In North Carolina, two deaths reported on 29 November. According to Forsyth County Health officials, one adult had other medical problems, but the other adult did not.

Also, on 28 November South Carolina reported one death caused by flu, in Barnwell County.  Department of Health and Environmental Control said they had 1232 positive flu tests in just one week!

On 21 November, San Diego County, California, reported its first flu death of the 2012-13 season.

Wyoming reporting an early start to their flu season. First case reported back in October, with 342 confirmed cases of by the 1st of December.

New York reporting widespread flu activity.  Former New York City Mayor, Ed Koch, is about to leave the hospital after being admitted a week ago with both pneumonia and flu.

08 December, Pennsylvania health officials reporting big jumps in flu cases.  Flu status for the state was raised from “Sporadic” to “Regional”.  Officials expect to hit “Widespread” status next week.

09 December, Wisconsin reporting 113 confirmed cases, and four deaths.

Main stream U.S. media reporting that several children have died.  Fox News says three kids have died, NBC says five.  Neither one gave details, and simply referenced the CDC.  The CDC says there have been five “pediatric deaths” so far, three during the week of 25 November to 01 December.  The deaths involved both flu A and flu B strains.

Across the northern border in Canada, reported on 10 December one child and three adults have died in the Waterloo Region of southern Ontario.  The three older adults died from flu A.  Health officials would only say that the child who died was younger than 10, and did not get vaccinated.

Some Canadians have publicly questioned the official flu death reports.  One doctor even said it was a guessing game: “This is a scientific guess. This is not the truth…I think people may have the misconception that every person who dies from the flu is somehow counted somewhere, and they’re not…”-Michael Gardam, director of the infection prevention and control unit University Health Network

Back here in the U.S. of A., another doctor is pointing out that other viruses can cause flu like symptoms: “There’s lots of other viruses out there that cause the flu and cause other flu-like illnesses. It may not be the flu, but it’s still a bad cold or a bad cough that kids transfer to and from one another.”-Charles Bregier, Presbyterian Urgent Care

Across the Pacific, in Russia, birds are getting the blame.  Russian officials in the Krasnodar region (bordering the Black Sea) are reporting that hundreds of ducks have died from a new “low-pathogenic flu”.  In other words, there’s a new bird flu out there.

There is also a new cat/dog flu being reported in Thailand.  Veterinarians say the new flu goes after cats and dogs who’re are already sick, most have had skin problems before getting the new flu: “Before they died, they would have sores on their bodies, coughs, runny noses, no appetite, and convulsions. If the disease hit a mother cat, it would claim the lives of the mother and the kittens.”-Payao Inman, nun working at Buddhist temple were unwanted pets are abandoned

Idaho, Influenza

U.S. Influenza: CDC issues warning, three people already dead in Idaho! Schools being shut down! Connection to West Nile?

“Significant increases in flu activity in the U.S. in the last two weeks indicate that an early flu season is underway.”-U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

04 December 2012, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reporting that three women have died from flu, or flu like symptoms.  They’re the first deaths reported, and CDC officials say the flu season started early: “It looks like it’s shaping up to be a bad flu season…..We’re seeing the beginning of the uptick start at least a month before we’d generally see it.”-Thomas Frieden, CDC

In North Carolina it’s being reported that more hospitals are ordering their staff to get vaccinated for the flu or face the loss of their jobs.

Mississippi is the first state to report “high” levels of flu.  Louisiana and Alabama are reporting “moderate” levels of flu.   Tennessee and Texas reporting higher than normal flu case levels.  Note that most of these states also got hit hard by West Nile virus.

Kentucky is officially reporting 60 possible cases: “Primarily, the concern at this point is that we are seeing cases earlier in the flu season than we typically do.”-LaQuandra Nesbitt, Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness

However, Kentucky and Tennessee school districts are reporting hundreds of students out sick, causing the schools to lose money.  Kentucky law requires schools to maintain at least 90% student attendance, but because of flu some schools are down to 81%.  A Kentucky doctor says sick students are being reported in the hundreds: “It’s more than just county wide. I think the joining counties in Tennessee. I heard Macon County had 500 students out. That’s huge numbers.  Our waiting room yesterday was terrible. We had people waiting out in their cars with their cell phones, and we would call them when it was there turn to get in.”-William Carter, Tompkinsville doctor

Doctor Carter also said it looks like vaccinations are not working: “A 90 year old who had a flu shot ended up with both A and B, so I don’t know if the flu shots are working completely with this string that’s going around.”

In Tennessee, two schools are closing down because of the flu. University School of Jackson and the Trinity Christian Academy will close on Wednesday, in hopes of halting any spread of flu.

Health officials in Onondaga County, in New York, reporting a huge jump in lab confirmed flu cases; 210 last week, up from 95 the week before. For comparison, county health officials said during last year’s flu season they averaged only 40 cases per week.

Influenza

H3N2 Swine Flu spreading through the United States, children main targets, despite 2011-2012 flu season being officially ended

“So as of today, there are 145 confirmed cases of influenza infection with H3N2v virus, since the current outbreaks began in July of this year.  This includes one case in Hawaii, one case in Illinois, 113 cases being reported from Indiana, and 30 cases being reported from Ohio.  This is clearly a significant increase since last week’s total….”-Joseph Bresee, CDC

09 August 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that cases of H3N2v are now at 145 in the U.S.

Most of the current U.S. cases are in the mid west (some cases in Hawaii), with 90% of the infected people being children.  The CDC also believes there is a direct connection with pigs, and are asking people to avoid pigs if possible.

The H3N2v strain is a new version that showed up last year, and has been spreading around the World.

At the end of May 2012, the CDC warned that H3N2v was already the dominant flu, making up 60% of World cases.  But, the end of May is also when the CDC  announced the winding down of an unusually weak 2011-2012 flu season (weak for the U.S. that is): “This is the first time since CDC started this kind of influenza like surveillance (ILI) that the percentage of patient visits for ILI was elevated for only one week of the season.”-Joseph Bresee, CDC, May 2012

 

 

Influenza

H3N2 Update, 29 May 2012: Dominant Flu. Season ending in the North (but not for Hong Kong), beginning in South. New vaccine required.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that of the type A viruses hitting the Northern Hemisphere, H3N2 made up 60%.

Two deaths in the U.S. were reported in May, one from type B virus, the other was H3N2.

The U.S. CDC, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) say influenza cases are declining in the Northern Hemisphere, as the flu season ends, but are expecting flu cases to increase in the Southern Hemisphere, as the flu season is officially beginning there.

Already the WHO is reporting that 86.6% of recent type A influenza cases, in the South, are H3N2.

The WHO also reporting that the H3N2 cases in the Northern Hemisphere showed rapid changes in the virus, meaning a new vaccine is needed.

As the flu season begins in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand is reporting that people there are scrambling to get vaccinated.  So far more than 910,000 New Zealanders have been vaccinated.

Flu season might be officially ending in the Northern Hemisphere, but don’t tell that to Hong Kong health officials.  The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) says the number of flu cases there are still high, with H3N2 making up 88.1% of recent cases in the weeks from 21 April to 12 May. Health officials in Hong Kong say the reason is that the new strain of H3N2 renders the vaccine useless!

The CHP reports at least 92 flu related deaths between 13 January and 14 May.