CDC: A(H1N1) hospitalizations, deaths still high in U.S.
December 1, 2009 10:54 am
HOUSTON, Dec. 1 — Hospitalizations and deaths of the A(H1N1) virus in the United States continue to be higher than expected for this time of year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday.
"During week 46 (Nov. 15-21), 8.2 percent of all deaths reported through the 122-Cities Mortality Reporting System were due to P&I (pneumonia and influenza)," the CDC said in its latest report on its website.
"This percentage was above the epidemic threshold of 7.0 percent for week 46," the CDC explained, adding that, "including week 46, P&I mortality has been above threshold for eight consecutive weeks."
The latest statistics released by the CDC shows that, from August 30 to November 21, 2009, there are 29,348 laboratory- confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and 1,224 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated deaths, including 172 of young patients under age of 18, that have been reported to the federal agency.
Monday's report follows on news last week that the ongoing pandemic may be driving a recent spike in dangerous pneumonias among younger patients.
"We are seeing an increase in serious pneumococcal infections around the country," Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, said during a press conference last week.
During traditional flu seasons, secondary infections such as pneumonia typically occur in people 65 and older, she said.
However, in this pandemic the increase in pneumococcal infections is being seen primarily among younger people, Schuchat said.
Since it was first identified in April, the A(H1N1) flu has sickened an estimated 22 million Americans, hospitalized about 98, 000 and killed 4,000, according to new predictions released by the CDC earlier this month.
On the whole, the CDC said Monday that the A(H1N1) flu infections appear to be on the wane nationally, even as the number of American children dying from the illness continues to rise.
The latest report shows that 32 states are now reporting widespread flu activity, down from 43 the week before.
But there are still plenty of ill people — as many as during the worst days of many regular flu seasons.
CDC officials have said the downward trend of A(H1N1) flu activity does not necessarily mean the worst is over.
"We are beginning to see some declines in influenza activity, but there is still a lot of influenza everywhere," Dr. Schuchat told a press conference last week.
She warned that "the level of influenza activity we're seeing right now remains high". "Even though we saw a little bit of a decrease this week, it is still higher than the peak activity in many years," she explained.
"If we look over influenza seasons in the past, there can be multiple opens and downs over the season." "Influenza season typically goes from December to May and nothing is typical about this year's influenza," she said.
"We may have weeks and months of a lot of disease ahead of us," she warned the public. (PNA/Xinhua)
ALM/ebp
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