CARROLL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

SWINE FLU UPDATE

1 May 2009

 

NATIONAL:  Cases of laboratory confirmed SF as of 11:00 am 1 May 2009 (Source CDC)

 

Arizona               4

California          13

Colorado             2  (new)

Delaware             4  (new)

Illinois                 3  (new)

Indiana                3  

Kansas                 2

Kentucky             1  (new)

Mass                    2

Michigan             2

Minnesota           1  (new)

Nebraska             1  (new)

Nevada                1

New Jersey          5  (new)

New York          50

Ohio                     1

South Carolina   16

Texas                  28

Virginia                2  (new)

 

TOTAL             141

 

MARYLAND:  Cases of PROBABLE SF (Source: DHMH)

 

Anne Arundel County    3

Baltimore County          4

Montgomery County     1

 

(Reminder:  “Probable” means an individual with flu-like symptoms who has a recent history of travel to an area affected by SF or contact with another who has).

 

Other Notes:

·       WHO’s Global Pandemic Phase remains at FIVE.

·       All seven PROBABLE cases in Maryland are recovering from the flu and none have been hospitalized.

·       Median age is 16 years.

·       Case range is 22 months to 81 years old.

·       Maryland’s allotment of anti-viral medications from the Strategic National Stockpile is under the custody of the State.

·       CDC is now recommending that a school closure should be for 14 days.

·       Governor is expected to declare a Public Health State of Emergency this afternoon.  This will invoke some or all of the Catastrophic Health Emergency Act as per Section 18-901 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, Health General Article. This give the Governor and the Secretary of Health enormous unilateral powers to manage a threat from a “deadly agent.”

 

CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A CARROLL COUNTY RESPONSE:

·       The GENERAL recommendation of the Carroll County Health Department for closing an educational institution is if that particular school is found to have a CONFIRMED case of the Swine Flu (not a suspect or probable case).  As long as a student is not showing any signs of sickness, he/she should be presumed to be healthy.  (Note:  the SPECIFICS of any school closure will be worked out among the interested parties.  This recommendation is subject to change as the virus is better understood).