To fight influenza A (H1N1), antivirals en route to all states

Public health officials are stepping up efforts to fight influenza A (H1N1). Antiviral medications have now been shipped to nine states and, as of May 3, will have been shipped to all states, according to officials at the CDC. In addition, rapid testing equipment is en route so laboratory confirmation of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection can occur at the state level.

Richard Besser, MD, acting director of the CDC said that as of this morning, there have been 109 cases in 11 states, including South Carolina, which, as of today, has 10 confirmed cases. The median age of patients in the United States is 16, with cases ranging in age from 22 months to 81. Most of the onset of cases has been mid-April, he said.

WHO officials said that 11 countries have officially reported 257 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection.

Mexico has 97 confirmed human cases of infection, including seven deaths. Other countries reporting infections are Austria (one), Canada (19), Germany (three), Israel (two), Netherlands (one), New Zealand (three), Spain (13), Switzerland (one) and the United Kingdom (eight).

Besser once again emphasized that reducing the spread of this unique virus is a “shared responsibility” and emphasized handwashing and covering mouths while coughing as effective ways to reduce spread of respiratory diseases.

The CDC is working closely with state and local health officials and he said communities are reacting differently based on the level of cases in their location. As an example, he said several schools have closed in Texas as a preventive measure.

He also mentioned WHO’s move to raise the pandemic threat level to 5, calling it a good “wake up call to the rest of the global community … to pull out their pandemic plans.” The level 5 designation means infection has been moving from person-to-person with relative ease.

Besser said the level 5 designation is a good way to communicate to global health officials that they should work together and share information about what containment measures are working best. As an example, he said the CDC has 11 staff in Mexico and are now running a lab there for case confirmation. – Colleen Zacharyczuk