Tag Archives: influenza

Idaho, Influenza

U.S. Influenza update, 17 February 2013: Human flu cases seem steady. Dog flu spreading! Get ready for the newest deadly version of bird flu!

New Mexico reporting one 2 years old girl, and one 15 years old boy, died due to flu. Since October 2012, 89 people have died from flu related complications.

Fresno, California, reporting high incidence of flu cases: “We’re still seeing a lot of calls, a lot of visits, a lot of emergency room visits.”-Dee Lacy, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center-Fresno

In Texas, druggists say it looks like the latest influenza is getting out-o-town quick: “It is considerably down from a couple of weeks ago. We were dispensing 25 to 30 prescriptions of Tamiflu a day about a month ago. We’re down to a couple a day.”-Louis Morgan, Shawn Sams pharmacy

However, officials with Texas Department of Health Services says flu cases are still up: “Statewide, we’re still seeing a high level of flu activity, though the proportion of people showing up at the doctor for flu-like illness is less than it was in the final week of 2012, according to the providers who report that information to us.”-Chris Van Deusen

Indiana reporting 56 deaths since the flu season officially began in December 2012: “Tragically, we are continuing to lose lives due to flu-related illnesses in the state. We still have months left in this flu season.”-William VanNess, Health Commissioner

Two South Carolina prisons report flu outbreaks.  A maximum security men’s prison, and a minimum security women’s prison have been put in lock down as a result.

South Dakota reporting the deadliest flu season in the past eight years.  30 people have died.

Nebraska reporting at least 12 deaths.

Oklahoma reporting 25 deaths, two in the past week.

Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare reporting at least 23 people have died.  21 were more than 50 years of age, the others were children. The number of people who’ve died this flu season is approaching the high set ten years ago.

Washington reporting more than 40 flu deaths.  38 have been confirmed as flu caused: “People shouldn’t confuse flu season peaking with flu season ending. There are a lot of people still getting sick. And there will be a lot more flu illnesses occurring in the community over the next six to eight weeks.”-Jeff Duchin, Public Health Seattle & King County

The new flu that’s taking down dogs (Canine Influenza/H3N8) has hit the state of Oregon. Several dogs in a Salem shelter are sick, the shelter even shut down for one day. Its now identified in 22 U.S. states. As I’ve reported before: “Canine Influenza is a very rare and unusual disease that’s new to dogs. It’s only been since 2005, 2006 that there’s been any cases known in the United States.”-Joan Towers, Willamette Humane Society

Influenza is making the rounds globally; in United Kingdom deaths are being reported (at least 18 in Scotland), as in India (from swine flu).

Indian health officials report new versions of H1N1 (aka swine flu), H3N2 and flu B.

Cases of H5N1 (aka bird flu) are popping up in Egypt, Cambodia and China.  So far for Gregorian year 2013 there are ten confirmed human cases, eight of those infected died.  That’s an 80% kill rate for this year’s H5N1 bird flu.

Bird flu does not spread easily to humans, but when it does it’s usually deadly.  This years bird flu strain has the Philippine Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Health, on alert. They’re even warning about another version of bird flu, H7N3.

H7N3 hit Mexico hard in 2012. By January 2013, 20 million chickens were killed (by the virus or by culling), and at least 66 million were vaccinated.   Interestingly officials declared the outbreak over in October 2012, but cases are still being reported (the most recent involves an outbreak at seven farms just this past week).

On 17 February 2013, a farm in Germany (east of Berlin) had to cull 14,000 ducks after lab tests showed they were infected with the H5N1 version of bird flu.

 

 

 

Influenza

U.S. Influenza update, 04 February 2013: Utah doctors calling it Super Infection! Dogs going down! Old people going down at record rates! Are you a Super Emitter?

On 04 February 2013, Utah doctors reported the death of a seemingly healthy 16 years old boy.  They say he died from a combination of flu and staph. The teenaged athlete got sick on 25 January and went down in a matter of a few days.

Utah doctors are warning of certain conditions that can create a super infection: “The people who have a compromised immune system and are taking some kind of medication or steroids, chronically, are certainly at greater risk from developing super infection from the flu.”-Douglas Dillon, Intermountain Medical Center

On 01 February 2013, North Dakota state health officials reported 55 new cases, and six more deaths.

Also on 01 February, the New Mexico Health Department reported 10 new deaths.

Minnesota reporting 112 deaths, 36 of those in the past week.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 45 children have died so far.  The CDC tracks only the deaths of children when it comes to the flu. However, the CDC is also reporting record flu rates in old people (older than 65 years). Currently old people are dying at a rate of 116 per 100,000.  The previous record flu death rate was 90 old people per 100,000.

The California Department of Public Health is reporting 14 deaths.  Gary Green at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Rosa, simply said “It’s getting worse.”

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 18 deaths. They also reported 500 new cases since last week, which is a decrease from previous weeks.

In Texas, the Dallas County Health and Human Services reporting signs that flu season has peaked there.  The hospitalization rate is down 15% from the week before.  Back in mid January at least 5,500 grade school students in Dallas County were out sick.

In Oklahoma 17 people have died.  Doctors there are also dealing with an increase in another infection which seems to travel with influenza. It’s called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).  I’ve mentioned it before.  One doctor said as many as 95% of people get RSV by the time they’re two years old, and it’s a recurring illness. It seems to coincide with the flu season, here’s some signs of RSV to help distinguish from influenza: High fever, severe cough, wheezing, having a hard time breathing, and bluish colored lips and finger nails.

In Colorado veterinarians are warning of canine influenza, mutated from horses.  Colorado and New York are the current hot zones for the new dog flu. Dogs have no defense because this is something new: “….is a relatively new virus affecting dogs. It was first identified in 2004 in Florida Greyhounds, and….proven to be a mutated horse virus……When dogs do get exposed to the disease about 80% of them will actually become ill, 20% become asymptomatic carriers.”-Wendy Huaser, vetrinarian

A study by Wake Forest School of Medicine, in North Carolina, revealed that some people are “super emitters” when it comes to spreading the disease. Researchers found that about 19% of infected people studied, emitted much more viruses when they coughed or sneezed, than other infected people. The study also challenges the current belief that flu viruses are spread in large airborne particles. They found much smaller particles as far as six feet from the infected person.

As I’ve been saying about flu vaccines; they’re too little too late, and now the Boston Globe agrees. In a complicated way, using the example of an 1898 study, they explained that the Influenza viruses mutate, or evolve, so fast that each year’s new vaccines are already outdated. Of course, being a mainstreamer they still push for you to get your shots.

Influenza

Japan Influenza Epidemic! New strain attacking children by the thousands! Vitamin D3 better than a flu vaccine?

01 February 2013, the Japanese National Institute of Infectious Diseases is estimating that 2.1 million people are infected with the flu in Japan!

Health officials are basing their claim on reports coming from local hospitals.   740,000 more cases than last week!  It’s the highest estimated number of flu cases in Japan since flu cases began to be officially monitored four years ago!

Last week it was reported that so many children were sick that 2,000 schools were closed! Health officials report that the new strain of flu is going after children first, then going after their parents.

Also out of Japan, researchers studying the effects of flu vaccines discovered that vitamin D3 is at least as effective at preventing flu A infections than the much touted vaccines!  The study was conducted several years ago by the Jikei University School of Medicine Minato-ku in Tokyo. It was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010: “This study suggests that vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A…”

Influenza

U.S. Influenza update, 25 January 2013: All 50 states affected, epidemic levels! 37 children dead! No paid sick leave? Insurance companies crying in their beer? More proof the vaccine is a joke!

25 January 2013, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting flu cases in all 50 U.S. states, and at least 37 children have died.  Remember, what the CDC reports is delayed as they have to wait for state officials to report in, and state officials have to wait for local health reports.

CDC also reporting that the percentage of deaths has exceeded official epidemic levels.  Last week it was 9.8%, the CDC’s official epidemic level is 7.3%.  The CDC does not track the number of adults who die, but compares the percentage of flu related deaths to other causes of death.

40 people have died in Indiana, 13 this past week.

In the Gem State of Idaho, 15 people have died since the start of the official flu season on 01 October 2012.  Two of those people who died were not residents of Idaho.

The Washington Health Department reporting increasing flu deaths: “We’ve had 17 laboratory confirmed deaths in Washington this season and 15 of them were 70 and older.”-Donn Moyer, Health Department.

So Far 11,000 people in Massachusetts tested positive for flu, 20 have died. Yet, health officials claim the flu has peaked, then again maybe not as hospitals in Boston are still seeing hundreds of flu patients per day:  “It does seem to have peaked here, but there are still a lot of sick people out there. Far more than last year, probably more than we’ve seen since H1N1.”-Jim Heffernan, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

17 people have died in Connecticut.

In California, San Diego County continues to see people die from flu. Eight deaths last week brings the total to 14.  Interestingly state health officials are still not including San Diego County deaths in their state count, which currently stands at five!?

Schools in Tennessee closed down. The Obion County School System has closed for the second time this flu season. One day there were as many as 541 students out sick.

Oklahoma health officials reporting a doubling of deaths in the past week. 14 people are now dead. Several grade schools were closed.

Arkansas reporting 19 deaths.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reports a 27% increase in cases last week.  Local drug stores are reporting shortages of flu vaccines and Tamiflu.  At least 40 people have died.

State health officials in New Jersey have linked the deaths of four children to the flu. Hackensack University Medical Center closed their ER because they were swamped with flu patients!  Health officials say the H3N2 flu strain is worse this year because people infected with it are developing pneumonia much more easily.  There are also reports that hospitals are having a hard time getting a hold of Tamiflu.

Data out of New York shows 20,000 people sick, more than 5,348 hospitalized.  Quinnipiac University announced that any student sick with flu will be banned from school,  unless their homes are more than 200 miles from school, then they’ll be quarantined in empty apartments in the Complex residence hall! In the City of New York workers who do not get paid sick leave held a rally to bring attention to the elites that they can not afford to take off work because they’re sick.  This after the elitist mayor of New York City declared a health emergency.

According to the Community Service Society, more than 1 million people in New York City work jobs that do not have paid sick leave!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 43% of workers in the United States have no health coverage!

Even with that fact, the three biggest insurers in the U.S., UnitedHealth Group, WellPoint, and Aetna, are already complaining about how much they’ve paid out to doctors and hospitals.  They claim they’ve paid out $1 million USD more than last year, and the flu season is only half way done.

Despite reports of flu vaccine shortages, the number of people getting flu shots is no different than last year. For the 2011-12 flu season 47.6% of the population got flu shots, and according to the CDC it looks like it will be close to the same for the 2012-13 flu season.

Now how about that flu shot?  As I’ve tried to point out before, each year’s vaccines are short and behind the times: “These experts at the CDC say, OK, I think it’s going to be strains one, two and three this year, so that’s what we’re going to make the vaccine protect people against. But it’s a guessing game; so if it’s one, two and five and you get the vaccine, you’re not protected against three and five.”-Brian MacDonald, University at Buffalo microbiology and immunology department

In fact, there is a growing number of medical staff refusing to get the flu shot!  One hospital (Montefiore Medical Center) in New York City reported that 50% of their staff have refused to take the vaccine!

Medical researchers are not only using Google to predict the severity of influenza, but now they’re using Twitter. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University are tracking how many Twitter messages are from people complaining about being sick.

 

Influenza

U.S. Influenza update, 18 January 2013: Outbreaks spike! Dozens more deaths! Reporting procedures fallible, possibly more deaths than what’s being reported by state & federal officials! More proof vaccines don’t work; U.S. & Canada only countries to push for it!

“If the vaccine does not prove to be effective the way it is professed to perform, then maybe the risk of the getting the flu shot is not worth the non-existent benefit of the vaccine.”-Peter Hanson, Everett, Washington doctor

On 17 January 2013, Minnesota state health officials reported 60 deaths, 33 in just the past week!  They also report a spike in hospitalizations and outbreaks in schools and nursing homes. There are now 107 nursing homes and 90 public schools reporting outbreaks.  Nearly 2,000 people are hospitalized with flu symptoms.  This at a time when the flu season was supposed to be past its peak in the North Star State.

Pennsylvania reporting 40 deaths (18 just in the past week) and at least 16,511 lab confirmed cases (5,000 in just the past week).  Health officials in Allegheny County are also reporting an increase in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases.  The Geisinger Health System is banning visitors younger than 12 years of age from their hospitals.

The governor of Indiana got a flu shot.  He demanded progress reports on flu cases in the Hoosier State. 27 people have died.

New Hampshire reporting 20 deaths so far.

In Massachusetts 18 people have died.  Hospitals report a 40% increase in cases in the past week.  A vaccine shortage resulted in the cancellation of a flu clinic at Gloucester’s Addison Gilbert Hospital. But read what the Bay State governor had to say about vaccine shortages: “This is serious. There is a heightened level of flu activity across the state. But we’re prepared. There is no shortage of vaccine.”-Deval Patrick on 10 January 2013

In Maine, the Pine Tree State’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported a quadrupling of cases, and the death of a six years old girl.  The Maine CDC is also warning of a surge in flu cases in the next few weeks.

In Alabama, hospitals are getting tough on visitations. The East Alabama Medical Center said beginning today visitation to the newborn, pediatrics and intensive care units will be restricted. Also, Mobile County Health Department reported the death of a 34 years old man.

After blowing off the severity of this year’s flu season, Idaho health officials are now saying it’s worse than expected. Nine people have died so far (funny, I was watching a local east Idaho noon TV news show earlier this week, and I swore the anchorwoman said there hadn’t been any deaths. guess she’s not reading my postings).  The Troy School District had so many students and teachers out sick that they canceled school on 16 January 2013.  The Gem State’s deputy state epidemiologist, Leslie Tengelsen, admitted there is a lack of standardized reporting procedures: “Influenza is not an officially reportable condition, and so it’s a little tricky to try and get a handle on what’s going on out there.”

Last week Michigan reported four children died.  There are 338 confirmed flu cases.

North Carolina reports decrease in cases, but upticks in deaths.  Nine people died last week.

Health officials in Kansas are saying this year’s influenza is not the same as usual. Doctors are reporting that not only is the flu season earlier, but the symptoms are more severe. Also, there is an increase in flu like illnesses as well.

School officials in Connecticut are reporting an increase in student and teacher absences, because of the flu. Some schools are reporting a 32% increase in absences compared to the same time during the 2011-12 flu season.

A doctor in Maryland warned of more cases to come: “We’re going to have a fairly rough winter because I am anticipating more and more positive cases and more and more people getting sick.”-Alexander Samohin, Concentra Urgent Care

Alaska reporting a spike in cases. Officials say a few weeks ago hospitals were seeing an average of ten cases per week, it’s now averaging 40.  And forget about washing your hands, remember flu is an airborne disease: “This is the season in terms of the winter weather in terms of people sharing tighter quarters in the winter and breathing the same air…”-Brian Yablon, Department of Health and Social Services

California state health officials reporting the number of deaths at five, however that does not include the six deaths reported by San Diego County, nor the death recently reported by Santa Clara County.  A San Francisco Chronicle report pointed out that state officials are not including the County reported deaths in their official count. The article pointed out that because of the lag time in local officials reporting to state, then state to federal, the official state and federal counts could be way behind.  Golden State health officials say their flu season won’t peak until February.

Despite most state and federal officials saying there is no shortage of vaccine, Oklahoma is singing a different tune. The Cleveland County Health Department reporting that they’ve run out of adult vaccines. 500 people are hospitalized, more than 100 in just the past week.

 

Vaccine Hyperbole:

According to a CNN report, the United States and Canada are the only countries in the whole world that pushes flu vaccinations. Even the UN’s World Health Organization says there is no data proving that flu vaccines work (as I’ve reported many times)!

The CNN report showed that some influential U.S. health officials admitted that the policy to push everyone over six months of age to get the flu shot was nothing more than an attempt to simplify the process: “…in 2010, we said, ‘Let’s simplify this and recommended this vaccine for anyone over 6 months old.'”-William Schaffner, Vanderbilt University

For more proof of the vaccine BS, despite all the main stream media’s propaganda saying how great this year’s flu shots are, Bloomberg reports that there is a scramble to make a new vaccine.  They’re calling it the “…Broadest Vaccine Redesign Since 1981”.  If this year’s vaccine is so good, why the push to revamp it?  The problem, as I’ve written before, is that each year’s flu shots are based on the previous years flu infections.  Virus are not static, they mutate every year as a result of passing through so many of we hosts.  Also, current flu shots cover only three of last year’s flu strains.  New shots are reported to cover four strains.  That still doesn’t cover all of them, and again, it’s only the previous year’s flu strains.

Something else the main stream media doesn’t report, is that many people are allergic to vaccines!  Current vaccines use chicken eggs, and some people are allergic to eggs.  The Food and Drug Administration has just approved a new way of making vaccines that uses insects instead of chicken eggs.  Here’s something else you should know; both the eggs and the insect cells are used to grow flu viruses, which are then injected into you when you get the vaccine.

A New York Daily News report says that a growing number of chiropractors are telling people not to get a flu vaccine. A survey of licensed chiropractors reveals that most are against the use of vaccines: “Since the scientific community acknowledges that the use of vaccines is not without risk, the American Chiropractic Association supports each individual’s right to freedom of choice in his/her own health care based on an informed awareness of the benefits and possible adverse effects of vaccination. The ACA is supportive of a conscience clause or waiver in compulsory vaccination laws thereby maintaining an individual’s right to freedom of choice in health care matters and providing an alternative elective course of action regarding vaccination.”

Despite international criticism of the U.S. policy of flu vaccinations many hospital workers, in some states, have been put on leave, or even lost their jobs because they refuse to get vaccinated.  A former hospital worker in Ohio is now suing her former employer. She was fired for refusing to take the flu vaccine.

Idaho, Influenza

U.S. Influenza, 09 January 2013: Emergency declared! Supporter of vaccines admits they don’t work! What Economic Recovery, unAmerican Coporate America blaming lost billions on sickies?

“…I have to tell you that I’ve now been in two large city emergency departments in two days, and I’ve never seen anything like this in the United States”-Nancy Snyderman, medical reporter NBC Nightly News

On 09 January 2013, the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, declared a public health emergency, because of influenza.  The Bay State reported 18 recent deaths, four in Boston (those 18 deaths are not the 18 pediatric deaths being reported by the CDC). During the 2010-11 flu season only one Bostonian died.

Florida reporting fast spreading flu. Of the 18 recent child deaths countrywide, two were in Florida. On 02 January 2012, the Memorial Hospital Pembroke Urgent Care Center recorded its busiest day ever:  “We had close to 200 patients during the day, which we’ve never had before.”-Roy Dubash, family medicine physician

Idaho has seen eight people die so far, and was one of the first states to report deaths caused by flu like illness. However, Gem State health officials don’t think it a big thing: “Average flu season we might have 12 flu deaths, last year was really mild we only had five.”-Dave Fotsch, Central District Health Department

Utah reports surge in flu cases. Beehive State health officials say the number of cases has already surpassed last year’s case load, for the same time period.  So far 233 people have been hospitalized.

Reports out of California say at least five people have died.  Golden State health officials are expecting a jump in flu cases.

In Wisconsin, Milwaukee county hospitals are being jammed with patients.  As many as eight of the county’s 11 hospitals are reporting temporary shut downs of their emergency rooms due to overcrowding. One doctor said they might have to start rationing Tamiflu: “If this is a prolonged epidemic that goes on for another week or so, Tamiflu may need to go only to the high risk.”-Paul A. Biedrzycki, Milwaukee Health Department

On 07 January 2013, 11 Illinois hospitals had to refuse anymore emergency room patients because of overcrowding.

The Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, is reporting much higher pediatric cases than last year.  For October 2011 to January 2012 they had 12 cases, so far this year they’ve seen 93 kids sick with flu.

Many mainstream media outlets, and health officials are pushing flu vaccines.  But, one such health official admitted vaccines don’t work for the people most vulnerable to getting sick. William Schaffner, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbuilt University, was interviewed on 09 January 2013 edition of PBS NewsHour.  He said vaccines work well in people who have strong, healthy immune systems.  He admitted vaccines do not work well on the people doctors hope to keep from getting sick; the young and the old! Shaffner then went on to tell people to get vaccinated.

“It works best in young, healthy people who have a robust immune system, but, paradoxically, in the people who we would like to protect the most, senior citizens, people with severe underlying immunological illnesses, it’s not quite as effective.”-William Schaffner, 09 January 2013 PBS NewsHour interview

Think about this, he’s telling us that vaccines work, but this is based on the admitted fact that it seems that only people already healthy and strong benefit from vaccines.  How do we know it’s not because those people are healthy and strong to begin with?

UnAmerican Corporate America is blaming projected billions of U.S. dollar loses on flu sickies.  Actually, that claim is coming paradoxically from the U.S. CDC.  The CDC is projecting that companies will lose $10.4 billion due to employees being out sick.  It’s a paradox because health officials always tell you to stay home from school or work if you’re sick, yet here they are whining about all the lost money for unAmerican Corporate America! And you wounder why so many people go to work sick?

Sure, health officials think by projecting the huge money loses caused by employees getting sick that employers would encourage their employees to stay home sick in order to prevent spreading the disease, but that’s not the reality of what happens.  Stupid is as stupid does, maybe the answer is a true socialized health care system, not this Obama/RomneyCare crap!

The search program Google has been predicting U.S. flu outbreaks based on searches for info on the flu.  It’s been so accurate that it’s now working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Click here for more info.  It’s predicting this year is gonna be bad.

International, U.S.

2012: Return of mysterious dead birds. Oil company admits fault! New Bird Flu?

15 December 2012, an oil company operating in Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska has admitted fault in the death of hundreds of migratory birds.

The Colorado based company, SM Energy, pled guilty to charges from the U.S. Attorney General: “These charges arose after a multi-year pattern of bird deaths at company sites, notification by the Fish and Wildlife Service, and failure of the defendant company’s subsidiary to take reasonable measures to make the hazardous sites bird-safe.”-Michael Cotter, U.S. attorney for Montana

The investigation revealed that birds were being killed by the oil company’s fluid pits, as far back as 2005.  SM Energy is to pay a paltry $22,500 fine.  Some of its subsidiaries have paid smaller fines. The money will go to the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund.

This perhaps explains years of mysterious bird deaths across the United States.  The birds come into contact with deadly oil production wastes in the fluid pits, then fly off to die.

However, cases of new bird deaths are popping up, around the world.

02 December, local Texas media reporting dozens of dead birds in McKinney. They reported that the birds were bleeding from their mouths: “By our count there are close to 50 dead birds, mostly Grackles, Starlings and Pigeons.”-NBC 5

02 December, India media reporting the “sudden death” of 38 cranes from a possible new strain of avian flu. It happened in salt pans close to Victor village in Rajula range of Amreli district.

At the end of November, officials in Missouri are baffled by the death of 100 birds in a road of a Springfield neighborhood.  Residents say some of the birds were still standing, yet none of the birds were found on grass or sidewalks.  They noted they seemed to be avoiding the powerlines.  One man claims he witnessed the deaths.  He says for some reason the entire flock of birds flew in front of a red pick up truck.  The pick up, and the vehicle behind, hit at least half the flock.

In October, 20 dead starlings were found outside a Saint Lawrence County, New York, home.  Officials determined they were poisoned, but have yet to identify the poison.

 

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

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.