Tracking H1N1: Reporting from the CDC
The CDC's Global Communications Center in Atlanta.
This morning, I’m on my way to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The CDC is holding a two day workshop for journalists covering influenza (including H1N1), to give us the latest information on these viruses as well as more in-depth background.
I will update this blog with what we learn. Regarding H1N1, here’s what we know so far:
According to the CDC’s latest figures, H1N1 has been responsible for 7,983 hospitalizations and 522 deaths in the U.S. this year.
“It’s important to keep in mind that these numbers radically underestimate the number of cases that actually occur,” said Jay Butler, director of the CDC’s H1N1 Vaccine Task Force. “Many cases go without testing and, in many areas, there is not routine testing of people who are not sick enough to require hospitalization.”
The CDC stopped reporting estimates of probable cases of 2009 H1N1 on July 24. Mathematical modeling at the time suggested as many as 1 million Americans may have been infected.
“If that’s accurate, it’s more than 1 million cases now,” Butler said.
Health officials say H1N1 continues to disproportionately affect young people — unlike seasonal flu, which tends to hit the elderly the hardest. According to Butler, 75 percent of H1N1 hospitalizations and 60 percent of H1N1 deaths involve persons under 49 years of age.
This year, H1N1 is the predominant influenza virus circulating worldwide. Researchers have been keeping a close eye on South America and Australia, which are approaching the end of their winter flu season.
So far, fears that the virus might mutate into a more dangerous form have not been realized.
“There have been no significant changes detected in the influenza virus isolated from persons in the southern hemisphere as compared to viruses isolated from persons in the northern hemisphere,” Butler said.
According to Butler, the viruses remain susceptible to anti-viral drugs, such as oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). He said they also remain similar to the viruses selected for H1N1 vaccines currently in development.
Follow Jonathan on: Twitter Facebook Other Blogs
Tags: CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu, H1N1, influenza, swine flu, vaccine, vaccines, virus
Share This
Jonathan Serrie is an Atlanta-based correspondent for FNC. He was
stationed in Macedonia during Operation Allied Force and in Uzbekistan
during Operation Enduring Freedom. 
While the below statement from your article may be true, it lacks the full truth. Take a look at the chart Death by Age grougs found here http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/surveillanceqa.htm 41% of your 60% is actually in the age group of 25 to 49. Wonder why this age group is not targeted in the priority group for the vaccine(like the 6 months to 24 age group is, although the 25 to 49 year group has a much higher % of deaths)?
Health officials say H1N1 continues to disproportionately affect young people — unlike seasonal flu, which tends to hit the elderly the hardest. According to Butler, 75 percent of H1N1 hospitalizations and 60 percent of H1N1 deaths involve persons under 49 years of age.
Please ask if you can or report on antiviral(s). Is the HHS going to approve the EUA (emerency use authorzation) of peramivir?
this is high quality reporting. when the h1n1 was first causing problems earlier this year, our local newspaper mocked that no one had been infected here. and then they stopped covering the story entirely! thank you for keeping people informed about a vital news story.
I have not seen anything that points to the next couple of words, but, “IS THIS THE WORK OF TERRORIST” ???????????
COULD THIS BE THE WORK OF TERRORIST? THEY SAID THEY WOULD COME BACK WITH SOMETHING EVEN GREATER THAN 911…..
COULD THIS BE THE WORK OF TERRORISTS ??????
I am a student at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS). They are telling us NOT to come to class if we have flu like symptoms. However, UCCS has decided to leave it up to the discretion of the individual professors as to whether or not our grade will suffer because of being absent from the flu. We are only allowed to miss two class sessions for each course during the entire semester and most professors follow this quite strictly. UCCS is making a huge mistake with this decision because students who have flu symptoms are going to come to class. This has me quite worried.