Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Update on the Swine Flu....
In light of recent news, I thought I shold put out this update...
One of the greatest concerns for many Americans today is the swine flu. The World Health Organization today said the first pandemic since 1968 is imminent after the outbreak spread to at least nine nations. Infections have been identified in 11 states in the U.S. The WHO raised its six-step pandemic alert to 5 from 4, the second jump in three days.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has been considering the implications of the flu pandemic for early childcare. With the recent outbreak of the swine influenza, the Center for Disease Control has requested that NAEYC inform our community of the following precautions to prevent the potential spread of swine influenza.
The CDC has identified cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in people in California, Texas and Kansas with possible cases in New York. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases. It has been determined that this virus is spreading from human to human.
Mexico has reported increased levels of respiratory disease including reports of severe pneumonia cases and deaths. In Mexico, where the toll is highest, 159 people may have died of the disease, according to officials there. U.S. cases jumped to 94, from 64 yesterday, and included a 22-month-old boy from Mexico who died in a Houston hospital. The swine influenza viruses identified by CDC from cases in Mexico are similar to swine influenza viruses from patients in the United States, however the limited number of patients identified thus far in the US have not been severe, with only one hospitalized person. However, the CDC is concerned about these cases in the United States and the World Health Organization are concerned about continued spread of this new virus. Right now, there is no vaccine for this new virus and the current seasonal influenza is thought to be unlikely to provide protection against this new strain.
For more detailed information about what child care providers should be doing to prevent the potential infection or spread of this disease, please click here.
For up-to-date information, please see the CDC's Web site or view their swine influenza specific site here.
For a printable flyer to distribute to your staff and colleagues, please click here
In light of recent news, I thought I shold put out this update...
One of the greatest concerns for many Americans today is the swine flu. The World Health Organization today said the first pandemic since 1968 is imminent after the outbreak spread to at least nine nations. Infections have been identified in 11 states in the U.S. The WHO raised its six-step pandemic alert to 5 from 4, the second jump in three days.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has been considering the implications of the flu pandemic for early childcare. With the recent outbreak of the swine influenza, the Center for Disease Control has requested that NAEYC inform our community of the following precautions to prevent the potential spread of swine influenza.
The CDC has identified cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in people in California, Texas and Kansas with possible cases in New York. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases. It has been determined that this virus is spreading from human to human.
Mexico has reported increased levels of respiratory disease including reports of severe pneumonia cases and deaths. In Mexico, where the toll is highest, 159 people may have died of the disease, according to officials there. U.S. cases jumped to 94, from 64 yesterday, and included a 22-month-old boy from Mexico who died in a Houston hospital. The swine influenza viruses identified by CDC from cases in Mexico are similar to swine influenza viruses from patients in the United States, however the limited number of patients identified thus far in the US have not been severe, with only one hospitalized person. However, the CDC is concerned about these cases in the United States and the World Health Organization are concerned about continued spread of this new virus. Right now, there is no vaccine for this new virus and the current seasonal influenza is thought to be unlikely to provide protection against this new strain.
For more detailed information about what child care providers should be doing to prevent the potential infection or spread of this disease, please click here.
For up-to-date information, please see the CDC's Web site or view their swine influenza specific site here.
For a printable flyer to distribute to your staff and colleagues, please click here
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:40 PM 
