May 27, 2009
After quickly sweeping through 48 states, the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, may have reached its peak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Briefing reporters, Dr. Anne Schuchat, the interim deputy director for CDC's science and public health program, said the number of doctor visits for treatment of flu-like symptoms fell below the national baseline, except in New England, New York and New Jersey.
As of Tuesday, the CDC has officially counted 6,764 probable and confirmed cases in 48 states and the District of Columbia. There have been more than 300 hospitalizations, and ten deaths.
I think we're at a transition point where we're entering an area of new focus and new priorities, Schuchat said. We really are on a fast track over the next eight to ten weeks to learn as much as we can as this virus heads to the southern hemisphere and to strengthen our planning for this surge of illness that we expect to experience here in the fall.
The CDC and other health professionals are, in fact, focusing now on fall flu prevention efforts. In addition to the normal seasonal flu that occurs every year, a return of the H1N1 virus could add to the burden on the health care system. The CDC is trying to learn as much as it can from the H1N1 cases that have occurred so far.
I think it's important to note that even seasonal influenza can cause severe complications in otherwise healthy people, Schuchat said. We have been carrying out active reporting of pediatric deaths around the country and every year between 50 and 100 or so children die from influenza, many of whom don't have underlying diseases. The very vast majority of deaths that occur in influenza are in seniors and majority of hospitalizations are in people with underlying diseases. Even totally healthy young children and teens can die from this infection, just the seasonal flu.
Schuchat said no decision has yet been made on whether to try to develop a vaccine against H1N1.
We do try to separate the question about the initial steps of vaccine development, later steps of vaccine production, and further steps that might involve a decision to vaccinate some or all of the population, she said. There needs to be an evidence-base and careful deliberation for each of theses steps, and we don't intend to make a decision about immunization until, as late as possible. The idea would be to learn all that we can from the southern hemisphere experience about the ongoing severity and problems associated with this virus.
