- 3.5% of cases (57) have been hospitalized (up form 13 reported yesterday)
- Detailed info on 26 hospitalized cases: 58% had underlying conditions: most had asthma.
- Respiratory infections can be a trigger for asthma attacks, so asthma sufferers should be in touch with health professionals if they believe htey have any flu or respiratory infection
- Transmission continues around the country. Most people experience symptoms and severity similar to seasonal flu. Illness lasts less than a week. Unlike seasonal flu, a higher percentage seem to have vomiting and diarrhea.
- In addition, younger adults represent a larger proportion of cases than we see with seasonal flu (which usually affects very young and old individuals). It's still unclear why this is the case - either greater contact through travel of younger individuals, elder immunity, or something else.
What's being done to prepare for a potential second wave:
CDC:
- monitoring H1N1 as it circulates in the southern hemisphere during their seasonal flu season (monitoring for resistance to medications or mutations into a severe/milder form)
- monitoring antigenic/genetic shifts
- planning for containment and treatment protocols and guidance
- make sure you have a communication plan for your faimliy
- know what you will do if school/work is closed for an extended period of time
- know what to do/how to handle social services disruption for a few weeks
No WHO Pandemic Alert Change:
Because we still have not seen sustained community level transmission outside of the US and Mexico, WHO will remain at a Phase 5 Pandemic Alert for now.
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CDC will no longer be doing formal press briefings; as of tomorrow they will be doing telebriefings.
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