For those of us keeping track, this is week ten, wave two…every Friday, CDC publishes the weekly summary of where we are nationally in the pandemic…if you don’t visit this site, bookmark it and check it out weekly, late Friday or Saturday morning. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
WEEK TEN, WAVE TWO: THE NET – NET
- THE circulating virus nationally is H1N1 – we have yet to see seasonal flu.
- All subtyped influenza A viruses being reported to CDC were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.
- The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold.
- Eleven influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported.
- Nine of these deaths were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and two were associated with an influenza A virus for which subtype is undetermined.
- The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was above the national baseline. All 10 regions reported ILI above region-specific baseline levels.
- Forty-six states reported geographically widespread influenza activity, Guam and three states reported regional influenza activity, one state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico reported local influenza activity, and the U.S. Virgin Islands did not report.
PNEUMONIA AND INFLUENZA HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH TRACKING
A new system for tracking cases was implemented on August 30, 2009, and replaced the weekly report of laboratory confirmed 2009 H1N1-related hospitalizations and deaths that began in April 2009.

- To allow jurisdictions to implement the new case definition, counts were reset to zero on August 30, 2009. From August 30 – October 17, 2009
- 8,204 laboratory-confirmed influenza associated hospitalizations
- 411 laboratory-confirmed influenza associated deaths
- 21,823 pneumonia and influenza syndrome-based hospitalizations
- 2,416 pneumonia and influenza syndrome-based deaths, were reported to CDC.
- CDC will continue to use its traditional surveillance systems to track the progress of the 2009-10 influenza season.
PNEUMONIA AND INFLUENZA (P&I) MORTALITY SURVEILLANCE

INFLUENZA-ASSOCIATED PEDIATRIC MORTALITY
A total of 95 deaths in children associated with 2009 H1N1 virus have been reported to CDC.
Eleven influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to CDC during week 41 (Georgia [2], Hawaii, Louisiana, Oklahoma [2], Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia). Nine of these deaths were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and two were associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype is undetermined.

OUTPATIENT ILLNESS SURVEILLANCE

ITS EVERYWHERE, ITS EVERYWHERE

- Widespread influenza activity was reported by 46 states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming).
- Regional influenza activity was reported by Guam and three states (Connecticut, New Jersey, and South Carolina).
- Local influenza activity was reported by the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and one state (Hawaii).
- The U.S. Virgin Islands did not report.
As the vaccine becomes available in your area, please consider taking it, especially if you are in the higher risk groups – for yourself, your family and your community. All medications have risks this is true. This flu is and can be serious and in some cases it kills.