Jun 1, 2010
WHO to make pandemic-phase announcement
An emergency committee of experts set up to advise the World Health Organization (WHO) on its pandemic alert status met by teleconference for the eighth time today and is expected to release a statement tomorrow on whether to hold or lower the current status. At the last meeting on Feb 23 the group declined to move to a post-peak phase, because some countries were reporting new pandemic activity and some Southern Hemisphere countries were just entering their winter months.
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html/?date=060110
WHO pandemic H1N1 page
Vaccine information didn't make a case for safety
A Rand Corp survey comparing vaccine uptake and attitudes about seasonal compared with pandemic flu vaccines revealed that though adults perceived pandemic flu to be more severe, they were less likely be vaccinated against it than seasonal flu, according to a study in <i>Preventive Medicine</i>. The 3,917 respondents relied on widely varied information sources. Researchers said pandemic flu communications didn't appear to reassure adults about the safety and value of the vaccine.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.05.008
May 25 Prev Med survey
CDC suspends flu reports till fall
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is resuming its October-through-May schedule of publishing weekly flu surveillance reports, though surveillance activities will continue. Unusually high levels of flu activity last spring prompted the CDC to keep issuing weekly reports throughout summer and early fall. The CDC's final report for 2009-2010 showed continued low levels for all flu indicators.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm/?date=060110
CDC H1N1 flu update
China study details H1N1 deaths
A retrospective chart review of patients in Shenyang, China, hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza in November and December showed that many were apparently healthy, nonelderly adults. Of the 68 patients, 30 (44%) were admitted to the ICU and 10 (14.7%) died. Median age was 41 years; only one patient was over 65. At least one underlying medical condition was present in 23 (34%), and obesity and lymphopenia not resolving with 5 days of treatment were associated with a poor outcome.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2334-10-145.pdf
May 31 BMC Infect Dis article
