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http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/he ... DEh7P:DiUs

Kids sent home with H1N1

Vaccine shots, hand washing and thermometers are some of the most important tools in fighting flu activity now classified as “widespread” in Minnesota, according to county public health officials.

Cases of influenza have been reported in at least half of the state’s regions, which fits the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for “widespread,” according to a news release from the Minnesota Department of Health. Not all of the flu activity is H1N1, but MDH officials believe the new strain of flu that appeared last spring is probably playing a role in the upswing.

Wadena County Public Health Director Karen Nelson said that as of a Wednesday conference call, there are 271 lab-confirmed cases of H1N1 in Minnesota. Eighteen are pregnant women. Seventy percent are under age 25. Three people have died so far, she said, including two children and one elderly person.

The actual number of people with H1N1 is actually much higher, but only those people who are sick enough to be hospitalized are being tested, Nelson said. The median hospital stay has been three days.

There have likely been H1N1 cases in Wadena County, Nelson said, but the state doesn’t track the numbers by county.

The vaccine should be out in early October according to what she is hearing, she said. The vaccine is an excellent match to the virus and it looks like the 18 to 64 years old in clinical trials are having a good immune response in eight to 10 days. There have been reports that only one shot may be necessary, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet, she said.

The immunizations will not have a cost, Nelson said. However, people are asked to bring their insurance cards when immunization schedules are announced in case the companies pay for at least part of the vaccine.

Targeted groups for the H1N1 flu shot include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months, health care and emergency medical services personnel, people between 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages 25 to 64 who are at higher risk because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems, according to the CDC Web site.

They are hoping to have the high-risk population vaccinated by Christmas, Nelson said. The rest of the population will be protected by preventing the spread of the flu among the high-risk group.

Nelson advised people to wash their hands frequently, cover their cough, stay home when they’re sick and avoid contact with those who are ill. She recommends employers encourage their employees to stay home when they are ill and to send them home if they come to work ill.

Symptoms of H1N1 include a temperature of more than 100 degrees, coughing, sore throat and muscle aches, Nelson said. Vomiting and diarrhea are rare symptoms.

A thermometer is a necessary screening tool for people to have at home, she said. Parents should check their kids’ temperatures before sending them to school when they’re sick, because if they have a temperature the school will send them home.

Nelson also advises people to have fever reducing medicine at home and a one-week supply of food and water in case they become ill. If you have symptoms of the flu call your doctor to find out if you should come and be checked out at the hospital, she said.

Public Health is preparing for the worst but hoping for the best, she said.

“Hopefully people can keep well and it doesn’t get worse,” Nelson said.
http://www.wadenapj.com/event/article/id/15511/

Synopsis: September 20th - September 26th (38th week of 2009)
The 2009-10 influenza season officially begins October 4, 2009. Data reported here starts before the official season and therefore has not been reported in past years.

All data are preliminary and may change as more reports are received.

During week 38 influenza activity has increased in Minnesota

One hundred thirty four (134) schools reported outbreaks during week 38.
There have been no outbreaks due to influenza reported from long-term care facilities.
Influenza-like illness visits to outpatient clinics involved in our Sentinel Provider Network remain elevated.
The most common strain of influenza characterized at the MDH PHL has been 2009 influenza A H1N1.

Nearly 40% of the cases are in the 5-18-year-old range.

Check website for interesting graphs.

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idep ... ml#summary

3 New H1N1 Flu Deaths in Minnesota

Published : Friday, 02 Oct 2009, 2:20 PM EDT

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Health officials in Minnesota announced Friday that three people have died recently from complications of H1N1 flu.

The Minnesota Department of Health identified the victims as a Dakota County woman in her 50s, a Ramsey County man in his 50s and a Watonwan County woman in her 40s. All three died within the last two weeks and all had underlying health conditions.

Six people in Minnesota have now died since the initial H1N1 flu outbreak last April.

"Losses such as this are always difficult to bear and to understand," said Dr. Sanne Magnan, Minnesota Commissioner of Health. "Our sympathies are with their families and loved ones. For most people, the H1N1 flu is not severe; however, it can still be very serious, especially for people with underlying health conditions."

State health officials said the deaths do not indicate a significant change in the course of the H1N1 virus.

"We have expected that we might see additional deaths from H1N1 novel influenza when the illness became widespread," said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist for MDH. "We know that H1N1 novel influenza, like seasonal influenza can cause severe illness and even death in some people. However, we are not seeing any change in the overall severity or virulence of the disease."

To date, the health department has reported 324 hospitalized cases of confirmed H1N1 flu. 39 of these hospitalizations have occurred in the past two weeks.

Last week, 134 schools reported having either five percent of their student body absent or three students in an elementary school classroom absent due to flu-like illness. It is unknown how much of that illness is H1N1 or another flu-like illness.

"This flu is very widespread, and we expect to see many more cases across the state," Lynfield said. "It is really important that people stay home when sick to decrease the spread of illness."

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news ... Oct_2_2009

7th Flu Death Recorded in Minnesota
October 5, 2009 at 1:26pm

Within the past hour, we've learned Minnesota has recorded its seventh death related to the H1 - N1 flu virus.The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting that the fatality is a child from Hennepin County.No other details about the child were released.So far, three of state's swine flu deaths were children under 9.In the latest case, the child had no underlying health conditions.Of the 327 hospitalized cases of the swine flu in Minnesota, 138 of them were children under the age of 9.

http://www.keyc.com/node/28515

(UPDATE TO PREVIOUS POST)

Corcoran boy dies from H1N1 without underlying condition

The child had no underlying health conditions before dying in late September, the state Health Department said, unlike some of the others in the state who have died from the H1N1, or swine flu, virus.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: October 5, 2009 - 1:26 PM
A 6-year-old boy from Corcoran has died from complications due to the H1N1 virus, the Hennepin County medical examiner's office reported today, bringing the fatality total in Minnesota during this outbreak to seven.

Nathanael D. Schilling had no underlying health conditions before dying Sept. 24, the office said, unlike some of the others in the state who have died from the H1N1, or swine flu, virus.

Nathan died of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, the office said, adding that this "occurs in other conditions besides influenza." The death occurred in an ambulance outside the boy's home, the office added.

Nathan was a first-grader at St. John's Lutheran School in Corcoran, according to the newspaper death notice, and was a son of D.J. and Nichole Schilling.

On Friday, the state announced three additional deaths related to H1N1. Those three occurred in the past two weeks, and all of the victims had underlying health problems, health officials said.

Two of the first three deaths in Minnesota struck people who were sick with something else when they became infected.

One of the underlying health conditions that contributed to one or more of the recent deaths was obesity, Dr. Ruth Lynfield, the state Health Department's epidemiologist, said. That's one of the hallmarks of the H1N1 virus. For reasons that are not well understood, obesity is a risk factor. That is not true of seasonal flu, she said.

Three of Minnesota's seven deaths related to H1N1 influenza have been children under age 9. Said Dr. Sanne Magnan, Minnesota's commissioner of health: "For most people, the H1N1 flu is not severe; however, we know that children are especially vulnerable to this new virus." Of Minnesota's 327 hospitalized cases to date, 138 of have been children 9 and under.

Children are among those groups for whom the vaccine, when it becomes available, is recommended as the best protection against the H1N1 virus, Lynfield said.
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/he ... c:_Yyc:aUU

Minnesota has recorded 327 hospitalized cases of swine flu. Of those, 138 were children under the age of 9, according to the Health Department.

The state ordered 28,000 doses of the flu vaccine last week. The first doses arrived at various health care institutions a day ahead of schedule.

"It is a package to this facility and a package to that facility," said Health Department spokesman Doug Schultz.

The Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses of Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota received 1,000 doses of the nasal spray, said Patsy Stinchfield, director of the group's infectious disease division.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article ... &catid=391