Pediatric H1N1 Deaths Already Rival Seasonal Flu

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http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/news/oct0909cdc.html

We are in the 2d wave which has not peaked yet.

Seventy-six children and teenagers have died of H1N1 flu since the novel strain emerged in April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today, representing both an increase of 19 in a week and a total that rivals the child deaths for entire past flu seasons.

And with the pandemic strain becoming establishing across the country, widespread in 37 states compared with 27 last week, deaths and case counts are expected to rise.

"In the past 3 years, the total pediatric influenza deaths ranged from 46 to 88," Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a press briefing. "It is only the beginning of October. Of course, the flu season will often last all the way to May, and so it is very early for us to predict exactly what is going to happen."

The CDC has only counted pediatric deaths from flu since 2003-04, when an early, harsh flu season killed a number of children in Western states. In the 2008-09 season, which officially ended last weekend, 147 children and teens died from influenza, including the 76 cases attributed to the new flu, according to CDC numbers released Friday.

Up to 30% of the children who died from H1N1 flu had no underlying conditions that would make them vulnerable, and bacterial co-infections were "a very important problem" in that group, Schuchat said, adding that the CDC is alerting clinicians to use antibiotics when bacterial infections are suspected and encouraging use of pneumococcal vaccines to reduce the chance of illness.

Meanwhile, vaccines against both the novel strain and the seasonal flu are moving out across the country, though officials acknowledged that demand is high and the process is not smooth. As of Thursday, manufacturers had produced 6.8 million doses of vaccine against H1N1 flu, of which states have placed orders for 3.7 million, Schuchat said, adding that both numbers are moving targets that shift from day to day.

"We are at a point where we don't have enough vaccine for everybody who wants to be vaccinated today, but we will have enough vaccine in the weeks and months ahead for everybody who wants to be vaccinated," she said. "Where we are right now is that there is probably more demand than supply."

Beginning next week, the CDC will place twice-weekly updates on H1N1 vaccine production and deliveries on its Web site, with one of the updates devoted to a state-by-state breakdown, Schuchat said.

In addition, manufacturers have produced 77 million doses of vaccine against seasonal flu strains, "more than we have ever had at this time of year," Schuchat said. The agency has also been informed of spot shortages of seasonal vaccine but expects that pipeline to fill as well. "More people want it than seem to be able to get it," she said. "It will take several weeks to get the full supply going."

Government researchers also confirmed that a single dose of the new H1N1 vaccine will be enough to produce immunity in most recipients. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, announced in the briefing that follow-up data from a clinical trial show that adults do not gain any increased immune protection from taking a second dose of the vaccine.

In addition, results from a separate trial indicate that it is safe to give both the H1N1 and seasonal injectable vaccines at the same time, in different arms, Fauci said, citing early data from 50 volunteers within an 800-person trial. However, Schuchat added that the government is still cautioning against giving two forms of the nasal-spray vaccines in the same visit.

Clinical trials of the new vaccine in pregnant women are continuing, and new trials of the vaccine in individuals who have asthma and in those who are infected with HIV will begin shortly, Fauci said.

The CDC also said today that:

The agency has found no evidence in its data for the Canadian contention that seasonal flu vaccine makes recipients more vulnerable to H1N1 infection.

No adverse events have been recorded so far among H1N1 vaccine recipients.

Cities and regions that last week reported slight dips in H1N1 flu activity are now seeing the curve climb back up, to higher than it was 2 weeks ago.

(hat tip Avian Flu Diary)

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Specializes in ED.

The CDC said that they stopped counting swine flu cases back in July. They also say, on their own website, that they can't calculate the number of people who die from influenza. Yet, they still claim that the evil H1N1 flu has killed more kids this year than previous years, and give specific numbers...

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Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.
The CDC said that they stopped counting swine flu cases back in July. They also say, on their own website, that they can't calculate the number of people who die from influenza. Yet, they still claim that the evil H1N1 flu has killed more kids this year than previous years, and give specific numbers...

why is that.

it's shifty. *spooked*

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Specializes in RN CRRN.

and those numbers are not up to date. If you go to Flu trackers.com you will find a thread that has all the news on the children who have died. As of now there are 147. The CDC has 76. The CDC has to wait for confirmation from autopsies probably. Whereas the articles are reporting children who died that were told they had H1N1. Who knows but it is scary. 147-that is like 3 per state. Doesn't sound like a lot but having JUST entered flu season-and many of these were from over the summer, one can only wonder what will happen as the schools stay open and it gets colder. (Flu likes it cold they say).

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Specializes in Too many to list.

Hospitalized patients with flu s/s are always tested. Those deaths are all confirmed peds cases.

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Specializes in Too many to list.
The CDC said that they stopped counting swine flu cases back in July. They also say, on their own website, that they can't calculate the number of people who die from influenza. Yet, they still claim that the evil H1N1 flu has killed more kids this year than previous years, and give specific numbers...

The fact is that we know the pediatric deaths have increased, and why.

http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2009/10/why_the_epidemiology_of_swine.php

The story that made the headlines on Friday was that 19 more pediatric deaths were added to the pediatric death toll in week 39, although not all of these children died in that week. The dates of death for the 19 stretched between July 19 and October 3 because of the way the tally is done. Starting in the 2003 - 2004 flu season deaths from influenza in people below the age of 18 became a nationally notifiable disease, reported to CDC through state epidemiologists. Each state has its own way of ascertaining the number. Some states are more complete and more timely than others, so notifications that come in a particular week can, and do, represent deaths that occurred over varying time periods, as in the instance of the 19 added this week. Still, it is clear that the young population is being hit particularly hard in comparison to the last three years for which we have data. 76 have died from swine flu since it made its first appearance in April, and 29 of those deaths have come since August 30, i.e., 29 in 5 weeks and those 5 weeks are extremely early in the flu season. In fact they occurred before the official administrative flu season even started (week 40).

...this flu season, which was not as bad as the previous year, was pretty typical. But this year, unlike previous years, there was a second flu season that started just as the usual one was finishing

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

We just has our first pediatric death here. 13 year old boy with history of mild asthma. Also lost a healthy 20 year old pregnant woman.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

That's just great. Our health authority purchased 120 new ventilators for the H1N1 surge, but the vents are not suitable for peds patients. It's like always, they don't understand that kids do have severe illnesses requiring critical care, and we're being starved of resources as always. I'm amazed that they actually approved the ECMO training we had last week, especially since there were 35 of us in the group. There were people from other cities there, about 6 of them, who were charged a fee for their attendance. Of course the other shoe dropped on the second day when we found out we're probably going to be providing our services to the adult ICUs too because they don't have a true team like we do. Just like we support all the Berlin heart patients. It's not fair.

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