SWINE FLU UPDATE – 29 April 2009

Cases of confirmed Swine Flu as of 11:00 am 29 April 2009: (Source: CDC)

1 Arizona

14 California

1 Indiana

2 Kansas

2 Massachusetts

2 Michigan

1 Nevada

51 NY City

1 Ohio

16 Texas

91 TOTAL

Confirmed Swine Flu Deaths:

1 Texas

The death was a Mexican 23 month old toddler who had traveled with his family from Mexico to Brownsville.

Other Notes:

• 16 is median age of patients
• Incubation period of disease is 2 to 7 days
• WHO’s Global Pandemic Phase is FOUR, meaning there are small clusters with limited human to human transmission but spread is high localized, suggesting that the virus is not well adapted to humans. (highest is Phase SIX).
• WHO does not know why cases seem to be more severe in Mexico. Possibilities: 1) nutritional deficiencies, 2) inferior medical care, 3) virus weakening as it spreads, 4) too few cases may have occurred outside Mexico for severe illness to emerge.
• Some are renaming the disease as the “2009 H1N1 Flu” Apparently the pork producing industry is taking offense at the current name.

CURRENT RECOMMENDATION FOR A CARROLL COUNTY RESPONSE: NONE