Aug 4, 2010
New Zealand region sees high H1N1 school absenteeism
The frequency of pandemic H1N1 flu is rising in New Zealand's Wairarapa region, according to The Dominion Post today, with five schools reporting 20% to 50% of students affected. All told, more than 400 children are out sick. A Wellington health official said the outbreak is particularly severe and spreading rapidly, according to a TVNZ report. Radio New Zealand today reported that the country has had more than 380 confirmed H1N1 cases and 183 hospitalizations in the past 2 weeks.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/3987826/Schools-swine-flu-clear-out
Aug 4 Dominion Post story
Study shows many similarities with seasonal flu
Researchers compared lab-confirmed pandemic influenza (871 cases) with seasonal flu (288) in Western Australia last year and found hospitalization rates slightly higher with pandemic H1N1 but many similarities between the strains. Patients in both cohorts reported a median of 6 of 11 flu symptoms, and less than half the patients in both groups had more than one underlying condition. However, those with pandemic flu were more likely to have diabetes.
http://tinyurl.com/080310eidh1n1
Aug 3 Emerg Infect Dis study
Hong Kong residents said no to mitigation
Researchers surveyed 13,000 Hong Kong residents at various times between April and November 2009 and noted that respondents reported low anxiety throughout that period of the pandemic. Greater anxiety was associated with poorer hygiene but greater social distancing. Over time, knowledge on modes of transmission and efforts to control transmission failed to improve and social distancing declined. The authors conclude that community mitigation played little role in mitigating the impact of H1N1.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/655811
Aug 2 J Infect Dis abstract
