23 September, 2009

H1N1 (swine flu) weekly highlights: September 16-22, 2009

Martinique, Mozambique, Russia and the state of Kentucky reported their first deaths from H1N1.

The WHO reported that the global swine flu death toll has reached 3,486, with the Americas region having the highest toll at 2,625. H1N1 cases reached 10,000 on China's mainland.

A large H1N1 outbreak hit the First Nation community on Vancouver Island.

Many schools are reporting outbreaks, as students return to class including Kenya High School and Fowler Middle School. Universities and colleges are also being affected by outbreaks of H1N1 including the State University of New York at Geneseo and the University of Western Ontario.


A pig herd in Northern Ireland has become the first in Europe to test positive the novel human form of swine flu, H1N1.

New research has suggested that people suffering from influenza may be at a higher risk for having a heart attack.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the distribution plan for H1N1 vaccine, to begin in October.

In the face of a predicted shortfall of vaccine production, many nations still volunteered 10% of their vaccine supplies to help WHO efforts at vaccination in poorer countries.

The WHO stated that while the H1N1 virus can mutate at any time, it has not yet done so and is still very similar to its original state.


Image: H1N1 VIRUS: As imaged by an electron microscope. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=eyes-on-the-swine

1 comment:

  1. This is a very informative blog that is very well written. Should middle aged people get the flu shot?

    ReplyDelete