Nine more pediatric Swine Flu deaths reported to CDC
Swine Flu activity in the U.S.
ATLANTA – Nine more child deaths have been blamed on Swine Flu and deaths from pneumonia and flu have climbed back above the epidemic threshold in the U.S. for the third consecutive week, reports the CDC.
39,794 hospitalizations and 1,905 deaths have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control since August 30 when the second wave of Swine Flu hit.
The new rise in pneuomonia and flu deaths as well as eight confirmed and one unconfirmed Swine Flu pediatric deaths reinforce the belief that Swine Flu will continue to kill through several more months.
The agency has again urged people to get vaccinated and predicted the flu will continue to infect people for several more months.
“During week 4, 8.1% of all deaths reported through the 122-Cities Mortality Reporting System were due to P&I. This percentage was above the epidemic threshold of 7.8% for week 4, and is the third consecutive week that the percentage of P&I deaths has been above the epidemic threshold,” it said about fatalities caused by pneumonia and flu across the United States.
“Nine influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to CDC during week 4 (Colorado, California [6], Mississippi, and Texas). Eight deaths were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and one was associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype was undetermined,” the report said.
The CDC said the pediatric deaths occurred between Oct. 18 and January 23 but it did not break down the data further.
“Since August 30, 2009, CDC has received 257 reports of influenza-associated pediatric deaths that occurred during the current influenza season (46 deaths in children less than 2 years old, 27 deaths in children 2-4 years old, 96 deaths in children 5-11 years old, and 88 deaths in children 12-17 years old),” it said.
“Two hundred twelve (82%) of the 257 deaths were due to 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infections, 44 were associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype is undetermined (usually Swine Flu), and one was associated with an influenza B virus infection. A total of 272 deaths in children associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been reported to CDC.”
Across the United States, flu activity remained sporadic.
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