Saturday, September 5, 2009

US and World Swine Flu Statistics/Xinhua and CDC

Xinhua, September 5, 2009:

Total US swine flu deaths are at 593; this is confirmed by CDC.  Total US hospitalizations are 9,079.  California has had 144 deaths.

New cases at 165 US universities totalled 1,640 last week.  No college students have died.

WHO reported total global deaths of 2,837.

The MMWR mortality in children report came out Sept. 4.  Thirty-six swine flu-associated pediatric deaths (under age 18) occurred in the US through Aug. 8.  Two-thirds (67%) had one or more "high risk medical conditions," and of these "92% were neurodevelopmental disorders."  Nine of these also had chronic lung disease.  Only 7 (19% of the deaths) were in children under 5 years of age.

For those 10 cases with culture results, all 6 children over 5 years of age who died, and had no  pre-existing medical conditions, were found to have had secondary bacterial infections.  This suggests that treating secondary infections aggressively will prevent deaths, especially in previously healthy children.

Of 31 deaths for which antiviral data were available, 19 (61%) received antiviral drugs, only 4 of whom received it within 2 days of illness onset.  These data are insufficient to assess their efficacy.

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