dan9999
11-12-2009, 08:28 PM
Swine flu has sickened 22 million in the U.S.
CDC: 4,000 in U.S. died, including 540 kids, between April and mid-October
Nov 12, 2009
AP
ATLANTA - Swine flu sickened about 22 million Americans between April and mid-October — and the newly estimated toll is only expected to rise, government health officials said Thursday.
About 4,000 people have died, including 540 children, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's director of immunization and respiratory diseases.
The startling new figures — about four times higher than previous death estimates — don't mean swine flu has suddenly gotten worse. Instead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday called them a long-awaited better attempt to understand the virus' true toll.
"Things haven't really changed from last week to this week, we just feel like we're finally able to update the public on the toll this virus has taken so far," Schuchat said.
The CDC now believes that about 98,000 people have been hospitalized in the first six months of the nation's swine flu epidemic, including 36,000 children.
The new, higher figure was first reported by The New York Times. It includes deaths caused by complications related to swine flu, including pneumonia and bacterial infections.
Until now, the CDC had conservatively put the U.S. swine flu death count at more than 1,000. Officials said this week they're working on an even more accurate calculation.
New calculations better track disease
The new estimates more closely match the way government officials estimate the toll of seasonal flu. The numbers are based on a 10-state surveillance system that tracks specific cases in 562 counties, and also on aggregate reports of illness and death in other states.
Previous estimates were based on laboratory-confirmed illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths.
The new figures, which track from April to Oct. 17, actually suggest a wide range of effect, with the number of estimated hospitalizations ranging from 63,000 to 153,000 and deaths ranging from 2,500 to as many as 6,100.
While the toll is highest among children, the disease has affected all age groups. Among people 18 to 64, the CDC now says there have been 12 million cases of swine flu, with about 53,000 hospitalizations and 2,900 deaths.
Among seniors older than 65, there have been about 2 million illnesses, with 9,000 hospitalizations and 440 deaths.
The CDC will be updating the new estimates every three to four weeks, Schuchat said.
More than 41 million doses of vaccine available
Schuchat emphasized that vaccination remains the single best way to prevent infection, even as she acknowledged that many Americans have been frustrated at not being able to access the H1N1 drug.
So far, about 41.6 million doses of the vaccine are available, Schuchat said. That's far less than health officials expected so far, and even less than the 8 million they expected to distribute this week.
"We are going to continue to have challenges with this virus," she said. "It's important for everyone to remember that it's a marathon, not a sprint."
CDC: 4,000 in U.S. died, including 540 kids, between April and mid-October
Nov 12, 2009
AP
ATLANTA - Swine flu sickened about 22 million Americans between April and mid-October — and the newly estimated toll is only expected to rise, government health officials said Thursday.
About 4,000 people have died, including 540 children, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's director of immunization and respiratory diseases.
The startling new figures — about four times higher than previous death estimates — don't mean swine flu has suddenly gotten worse. Instead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday called them a long-awaited better attempt to understand the virus' true toll.
"Things haven't really changed from last week to this week, we just feel like we're finally able to update the public on the toll this virus has taken so far," Schuchat said.
The CDC now believes that about 98,000 people have been hospitalized in the first six months of the nation's swine flu epidemic, including 36,000 children.
The new, higher figure was first reported by The New York Times. It includes deaths caused by complications related to swine flu, including pneumonia and bacterial infections.
Until now, the CDC had conservatively put the U.S. swine flu death count at more than 1,000. Officials said this week they're working on an even more accurate calculation.
New calculations better track disease
The new estimates more closely match the way government officials estimate the toll of seasonal flu. The numbers are based on a 10-state surveillance system that tracks specific cases in 562 counties, and also on aggregate reports of illness and death in other states.
Previous estimates were based on laboratory-confirmed illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths.
The new figures, which track from April to Oct. 17, actually suggest a wide range of effect, with the number of estimated hospitalizations ranging from 63,000 to 153,000 and deaths ranging from 2,500 to as many as 6,100.
While the toll is highest among children, the disease has affected all age groups. Among people 18 to 64, the CDC now says there have been 12 million cases of swine flu, with about 53,000 hospitalizations and 2,900 deaths.
Among seniors older than 65, there have been about 2 million illnesses, with 9,000 hospitalizations and 440 deaths.
The CDC will be updating the new estimates every three to four weeks, Schuchat said.
More than 41 million doses of vaccine available
Schuchat emphasized that vaccination remains the single best way to prevent infection, even as she acknowledged that many Americans have been frustrated at not being able to access the H1N1 drug.
So far, about 41.6 million doses of the vaccine are available, Schuchat said. That's far less than health officials expected so far, and even less than the 8 million they expected to distribute this week.
"We are going to continue to have challenges with this virus," she said. "It's important for everyone to remember that it's a marathon, not a sprint."