Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 141 confirmed HINI (swine) flu cases in 19 states.
For the complete listing of states and the number of confirmed cases, please go to
www.cdc.gov/swineflu.
CDC continues to issue new or revised interim guidance on a daily basis. Today’s new/revised interim guidance includes interim guidance on school closures, guidance on submitting tissue specimens, and more. CDC also continues to issue Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) on H1N1 flu-related topics. For the interim guidance and the MMWR reports, please go to the “What’s New” section of the CDC HIN1 flu site at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/whatsnew.htm.
CDC reports that this H1N1 virus is very unusual and that this genetic combination of influenza virus segments has not been recognized before in the U.S. or elsewhere. No 1918-like markers that are associated with increased risk of severe disease and death have been found. The CDC laboratory also has not found the high pathogen markers that were previously identified in the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus that has caused human infections and deaths in people in other countries. This is all good news, but there are no assurances that the virus won’t mutate into something more deadly.
AHCA/NCAL reminds you that our H1N1 Web page continuously receives CDC updates and is a source for pandemic resources.