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ELEVATED influenza-like illness (ILI) activity in CDC Region Four: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN

Influenza Monitor, March 25, 2010

CDC is reporting ELEVATED influenza-like illness (ILI) activity in Region Four, which includes: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. “Region 4 led the nation at the beginning of the fall wave, which largely followed school openings.” Region 4 also had a higher number of case counts of ILI on college and university campuses than other regions.

Regional influenza activity was reported by three states (Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi). Local influenza activity has been reported across southern and southeastern states in CDC Regions Four and Five. Recent reports on H1N1 activity from CDC Regions 4 and 5 include:

ATLANTA – Health officials say swine flu hospitalizations in Georgia are up to their highest level since the fall. About 70 to 80 hospitalizations were reported in each of the past two weeks – the most since September, when a large wave of illnesses was hitting the South. (AP – 24 Mar) NOTE: Georgia’s Dept of Community health officially reported 80 and 38 hospitalizations respectively for weeks ending 9 March and 2 March.

MONTGOMERY – Activity reported for last week (March 7-13, 2010) shows the percentage of visits attributed to ILI continues to be elevated in Alabama (7.1%). The baseline set by CDC, above which defines significant influenza activity, in Alabama is 2.0% for the 2009-10 Influenza Season. (ADPH – 18 Mar)

BATON ROUGE – State Health Officer Jimmy Guidry, M.D. announced today that parish health units statewide will host open walk-in H1N1 vaccination clinics this week, as DHH is receiving reports from across that state that hospitals and physician offices have seen an increase in flu-like illnesses in the past few weeks. (DHH – 22 Mar)

Comment: Pandemic H1N1 continues to reach where it can.

ACHA: ACHA Pandemic Influenza Surveillance: Influenza Like Illness (ILI) in Colleges and Universities: Week Ending March 19. 2010
AP: Swine flu hospitalizations up in GA
AL DPH: Influenza Surveillance in Alabama
GA DCH: H1N1 Hospitalizations and Deaths in Georgia
LA DHH: DHH Launches H1N1 Open Clinic Campaign This Week
MS DH: Influenza-Like Illness Report for 2010, Week 10
Recombinomics: US Wave 3 Start Confirmed By H1N1 Increases in Region 4 Recombinomics Commentary 23:03

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