News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A study in which N95 respirators strongly outperformed surgical masks in shielding hospital workers from influenza viruses and other microbes is being hailed as a landmark in research on respiratory protection for healthcare workers.

WHO's novel H1N1 flu case count tops 4,500The global number of people infected with the novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) virus rose to 4,694 from 30 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today. The count includes 1,626 cases and 48 deaths in Mexico and the 2,532 cases and 3 deaths reported in the United States as of yesterday. Canada has reported 284 cases and one death. [WHO update 25]

The World Health Organization (WHO) listed a global total of 2,500 confirmed cases of swine influenza H1N1 in 25 countries today. That total included 1,204 cases in Mexico, 896 cases in the United States (yesterday's number), 214 in Canada, 88 in Spain, and 34 in the United Kingdom. The death toll remains at 44, including 42 in Mexico and 2 in the United States. [WHO update 22]