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U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection by State

By HawaiiEHR on 8 May, 2009 in

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection
 (As of May 8, 2009, 11:00 AM ET)
States*Laboratory
confirmed
cases		Deaths
TOTAL (43)1639 cases 2 deaths
*includes the District of Columbia

International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection, see World Health OrganizationExternal Web Site Policy.

View state-by-state table >>

Map of StatesView complete map >>

School Guidance

At this time, CDC recommends the primary means to reduce spread of influenza in schools focus on early identification of ill students and staff, staying home when sick, and good cough etiquette and frequent hand washing. Decisions about school closure should be at the discretion of local authorities based on local considerations. (See the School Guidance.)

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Infections Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus – When Pigs Fly

By HawaiiEHR on 1 May, 2009 in , ,

Confirmed Human Cases of Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Infection With Known Dates of Illness Onset

The CDC reports cases of respiratory infection with a swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) transmitted through human-to-human contact since April 21, 2009.  In the United States, as of April 29, a total of 91 confirmed cases had been reported, including one death (in Texas). By state, the following numbers of cases had been reported: New York (51); Texas (16); California (14); Kansas, Massachusetts, and Michigan (two each); Arizona, Indiana, Nevada, and Ohio (one each).

So as not to offend the swine, the name may be changed.  Six of the eight genetic segments of this virus strain are purely swine flu and the other two segments are bird and human, but have lived in swine for the past decade, says Dr. Raul Rabadan, a professor of computational biology at Columbia University. On Wednesday, U.S. officials not only started calling the virus 2009 H1N1 after two of its genetic markers, but Dr. Anthony Fauci the National Institutes of Health corrected reporters for calling it swine flu. Then on Thursday, the WHO said it would stop using the name swine flu because it was misleading and triggering the slaughter of pigs in some countries.

One top flu expert, doesn’t like the swine flu name either, but for a different reason. Traditional swine flu doesn’t spread easily among people, although this one does now, said Dr. Paul Glezen, a flu epidemiologist at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Columbia’s Rabadan said sometimes when he talks to other scientists, he uses the name “swine” or the name “Mexican flu.” And that name only adds another case of political incorrectness.

All flu viruses — human, bird, pig — have an “H” and an “N” in the name, each followed by a number (the avian flu strain that has been worrying people is H5N1, for example). Not surprisingly, pork companies aren’t so keen on the term “swine flu.” For those of you that think this is all a conspiracy, you may be right. The government announced that the U.S. Navy has awarded a new production contract to Bell for the purchase of Lot 6 of the H-1 Upgrade Program, an award worth $288 million. Hmmm… So if the new virus name is H1 and the government is ordering H-1s, sure makes you wonder if pigs can fly.

When Pigs Fly

When Pigs Fly

UH-1Y tactical utility flying pig

UH-1Y tactical utility flying pig

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection
(As of May 1, 2009, 11:00 AM ET)
States
# of laboratory confirmed cases
Deaths
Arizona4
California13
Colorado2
Delaware4
Illinois3
Indiana3
Kansas2
Kentucky1
Massachusetts2
Michigan2
Minnesota1
Nebraska1
Nevada1
New Jersey5
New York50
Ohio1
South Carolina
16
Texas
28
1
Virginia
2
TOTAL COUNTS141 cases 1 death
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
See: World Health OrganizationExternal Web Site Policy.
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Pigs Passed Human Influenza Virus to Pig Already Infected

By HawaiiEHR on 30 April, 2009 in ,

Pigs Could Have Passed A Human Influenza Virus To A Pig Already Infected

In the search for the swine flu’s “ground zero” animal health expert Peter Roeder, a consultant to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, said many possibilities exist for how the virus first jumped to humans, and that it could have happened months or even a year ago.

Roeder said it’s possible someone tending the pigs could have passed a human influenza virus to a pig already infected with another type of swine flu, and then that pig could have also come into contact with a bird virus. Then, the new H1N1 virus formed could have been transmitted back to the workers. Townspeople blame their ills on pig waste from farms that lie upwind, five miles (8.5 kilometers) to the north. The toxins blow through other towns, only to get trapped by mountains in La Gloria, they say. They suspect their water and air has been contaminated by waste.  Edgar, however, has never left the Perote valley. The family doesn’t own pigs or work near them. Edgar’s father, a bricklayer also named Edgar, only works in the area — not Mexico City.

Mexican Agriculture Department inspectors found no sign of swine flu among pigs around the farm in Veracruz, and say that no infected pigs have been found yet anywhere in Mexico.

Possible swine flu cases in Hawaii awaiting test results

“A handful” of people in the Islands — including one arriving from Mexico — are being tested for swine flu, state health officials said yesterday. None of the cases has been confirmed, state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park emphasized yesterday at a Capitol press conference.

Officials say US deaths expected from swine flu

Still, U.S. officials stressed there was no need for panic and noted that flu outbreaks are quite common every year. The CDC estimates about 36,000 people in the U.S. died of flu-related causes each year, on average, in the 1990s.

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 29, 2009, 11:00 AM ET)
States
# of laboratory confirmed cases
Deaths
Arizona1
California14
Indiana1
Kansas2
Massachusetts2
Michigan2
Nevada1
New York51
Ohio1
Texas
16
1
TOTAL COUNTS91 cases 1 death
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
See: World Health OrganizationExternal Web Site Policy.
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WHO Pandemic Alert Raised to Second Highest Level Phase 5

By HawaiiEHR on 29 April, 2009 in

Current WHO phase of pandemic alert is 5

It was the first time the WHO had declared a Phase 5 outbreak, the second-highest on its threat scale, indicating a pandemic could be imminent.

Current phase of alert in the WHO global influenza preparedness plan
Pandemic preparedness

In the 2009 revision of the phase descriptions, WHO has retained the use of a six-phased approach for easy incorporation of new recommendations and approaches into existing national preparedness and response plans. The grouping and description of pandemic phases have been revised to make them easier to understand, more precise, and based upon observable phenomena. Phases 1–3 correlate with preparedness, including capacity development and response planning activities, while Phases 4–6 clearly signal the need for response and mitigation efforts. Furthermore, periods after the first pandemic wave are elaborated to facilitate post pandemic recovery activities.

The current WHO phase of pandemic alert is 5.

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What You Can Do to Stay Healthy – Swine Influenza (Flu)

By HawaiiEHR on 28 April, 2009 in

Current WHO Phase 4 of Pandemic Alert

In response to the intensifying outbreak, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 4External Web Site Policy..

In Phase 2 an animal influenza virus circulating among domesticated or wild animals is known to have caused infection in humans, and is therefore considered a potential pandemic threat.

In Phase 3, an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus has caused sporadic cases or small clusters of disease in people, but has not resulted in human-to-human transmission sufficient to sustain community-level outbreaks. Limited human-to-human transmission may occur under some circumstances, for example, when there is close contact between an infected person and an unprotected caregiver. However, limited transmission under such restricted circumstances does not indicate that the virus has gained the level of transmissibility among humans necessary to cause a pandemic.

Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to cause “community-level outbreaks.” The ability to cause sustained disease outbreaks in a community marks a significant upwards shift in the risk for a pandemic. Any country that suspects or has verified such an event should urgently consult with WHO so that the situation can be jointly assessed and a decision made by the affected country if implementation of a rapid pandemic containment operation is warranted. Phase 4 indicates a significant increase in risk of a pandemic but does not necessarily mean that a pandemic is a forgone conclusion.

Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.

Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.

  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

  • Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
  • If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 28, 2009, 11:00 AM ET)
State# of laboratory
confirmed cases
California10 cases
Kansas2 cases
New York City45 cases
Ohio1 case
Texas6 cases
TOTAL COUNT64 cases
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
See: World Health OrganizationExternal Web Site Policy.
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Federal Funds Incentives Establishing Electronic Health Information Exchanges

By HawaiiEHR on 28 April, 2009 in , , ,

Legislators Scrambling to Establish Electronic Health Information Exchanges

Sen. Joe Paskvan, D-Fairbanks, Alaska, pushed a bill that would establish an electronic health information exchange system that would draw on federal funds.

In response to President Obama’s mandate for electronic health records (EHR) for all patients, SMART Association, Inc. and LifeMed Card, Inc. (“SMART”) announce they have released their LifeMed™ Smart Card Platform software for EHRs.

Currently, healthcare information management focuses on exchanging patients’ electronic medical records over the Internet to various HIEs and Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIOs). From there, networks are supposed to connect and aggregate information into a National Health Information Network (NHIN). Therefore, correctly identifying patients while protecting their privacy is a daunting task. Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance (http://www.smartcardalliance.org), states, “Secure identity smart cards should be top of mind for any government policy makers looking to improve the efficiency of healthcare information.”

Kauai Hawaii

The blog at Health IT Politics reviewed interviews conducted at the WHCC, World Healthcare Congress, (www.worldhealthcare.org). “Dr. Davis reviewed various metrics of population health across nations. Apparently, EMR/Health IT adoption is at 28% in the U.S. versus 98% in the Netherlands.  More importantly, only 30% of U.S. physicians have pay-for-performance incentives.  Dr. Davis cited Denmark as good example of EMR utilizations.  Denmark has a single Health Information Exchange for citizens’ data.  This data can be accessed by a physician through a portal.”

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Community Health Centers Using Stimulus Money

By HawaiiEHR on 28 April, 2009 in , , ,

Community Health Centers are Using Stimulus Money to Expand Services

Community Health Centers across the country are using funding that is part of $338 million distributed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). New Horizon Family Health Services is getting $376,634 in federal stimulus funds to expand its hours for the growing number of Upstate residents losing their jobs and health insurance.

Jackson County’s Community Health Center Inc. and La Clinica Del Carino are among 25 nonprofit community clinics in Oregon that will share $5.9 million to provide health care to poor and uninsured people. The funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Southside and Dodson Avenue Community Health Centers in Chattanooga will use $286,579 in stimulus funding to hold onto a part-time pediatrician, a licensed practical nurse, a medical assistant and an interpreter, Executive Director Bill Hicks said in an e-mailed statement.

Over the next two years, community health centers are expected to create or retain 6,400 health care jobs with the help of the stimulus money, according to the U.S.  Department of Health and Human Services.

Hawaii Community Health Centers
Hawaiian-Islands

Hawaiian-Islands

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