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[palango]

Situation Update (CDC website)

Map of flu activity in the U.S. for week ending October 10, 2009. Click to view the full Situation Update.During the week of October 11-17, 2009, influenza activity continued to increase in the United States as reported in FluView. Flu activity is now widespread in 46 states. Nationwide, visits to doctors for influenza-like-illness are increasing steeply and are now higher than what is seen at the peak of many regular flu seasons. In addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths continue to go up nation-wide and are above what is expected for this time of year.

# Total influenza hospitalization rates for laboratory-confirmed flu are climbing and are higher than expected for this time of year.
# The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) based on the 122 Cities Report has increased and has been higher than what is expected at this time of year for two weeks. In addition, 11 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported this week; 9 of these deaths were confirmed 2009 H1N1, and two were influenza A viruses, but were not subtyped. Since April 2009, CDC has received reports of 95 laboratory-confirmed pediatric 2009 H1N1 deaths and another 7 pediatric deaths that were laboratory confirmed as influenza, but where the flu virus subtype was not determined.

[Howdy]

I really hope that some of you naysayers are right and all this turns out to be another media scare like the big Anthrax scare.

Or like SARS, The bird flu, The mad cow crisis, or OJ Simpson?