Thursday, August 27, 2009

Global's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update - August 27, 2009

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 27th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)


The next update will be on Tuesday September 1st, at 08:30 PST.



Local/National News

Kids trudging back to school with their new books and backpacks will also be carting along the H1N1 virus, and B.C.'s health officer says he's expecting a spike in flu cases this fall. Normally, flu doesn't start to increase until the winter, but Perry Kendall said Tuesday that B.C. health officials are preparing for a fall outbreak. "The kids in the schools, who have no resistance to the virus, spread it around to each other," Dr. Kendall said."So we can expect quite reasonably that when the kids come back to school, they'll bring the virus back with them and we'll see a sort of seasonal flu outbreak. We'll see it probably in the fall rather than in the winter and spring. So we'll see it early." To prepare, the provincial government is posting fact sheets about the flu on its website, and schools and teachers are being briefed about ways to limit the spread of the virus. The Globe and Mail


The Government of Canada today announced two key initiatives to support healthcare professionals in treating and preventing H1N1 flu virus infections in Canada. "Canadian healthcare workers will have the tools they need to safely and effectively prevent and treat H1N1,” said Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. “We are continuing to follow our pandemic preparedness plan by collaborating with all levels of government to protect and support our frontline workers.”

The two initiatives are:

  • The Public Health Agency of Canada is mobilizing public health officials, intensive care specialists and medical experts from Canada and abroad to meet in Winnipeg next week to share and discuss best practices for treating severe H1N1 infections.

  • The Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research are providing an additional $2.7 million to the Influenza Research Network to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the pandemic vaccine, as well as to monitor and evaluate vaccine implementation programs. PHAC


International News

South Africa has no choice but to develop its own H1N1 flu vaccine, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Wednesday, citing concerns treatment will not be available to poorer nations. "South Africa has arrived at a situation where we have no option but to start developing our own vaccine capacity, not only for H1N1, but generally," Motsoaledi told parliament. Reuters


Iran said Wednesday a woman had died of the H1N1 virus in a north-western region, the Islamic Republic's first fatality from the new flu strain, state radio said. "Unfortunately a woman from Maragheh (in East Azerbaijan province) died of the flu because she also suffered from chronic respiratory problems," Deputy Health Minister Hassan Emami Razavi said, without giving further details. Reuters


Despite being in the midst of swine flu panic in May of this year, more than half of the health care workers polled in a Hong Kong study were unwilling to receive the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. This finding, published in a recent online edition of BMJ hints at some of the challenges that countries will likely face as they move to implement the World Health Organization’s recommendation that all front line health care workers be vaccinated. It also brings into focus one of the issues that health care workers themselves will be faced with, namely a need to make decisions in the face of conflicting interests (i.e. their own safety versus that of the people they care for). Applied more broadly, the issue of vaccine uptake also presents significant challenges to corporations who may elect to include vaccines in their business continuity strategies. Google News


Antiviral News

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidelines for the use of antivirals in the management of patients infected with the H1N1 pandemic virus. The guidelines represent the consensus reached by an international panel of experts who reviewed all available studies on the safety and effectiveness of these drugs. Emphasis was placed on the use of oseltamivir and zanamivir to prevent severe illness and deaths, reduce the need for hospitalization, and reduce the duration of hospital stays.


Evidence reviewed by the panel indicates that oseltamivir, when properly prescribed, can significantly reduce the risk of pneumonia (a leading cause of death for both pandemic and seasonal influenza) and the need for hospitalization.


For patients who initially present with severe illness or whose condition begins to deteriorate, WHO recommends treatment with oseltamivir as soon as possible. Studies show that early treatment, preferably within 48 hours after symptom onset, is strongly associated with better clinical outcome. For patients with severe or deteriorating illness, treatment should be provided even if started later. Where oseltamivir is unavailable or cannot be used for any reason, zanamivir may be given.


This recommendation applies to all patient groups, including pregnant women, and all age groups, including young children and infants. WHO

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Global's Pandemic H1N1 2009 Update

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 25th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)

The next update will be on Thursday August 27th, at 08:30 PST.

The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6



Local/National News

The head of a Manitoba First Nations organization is calling on his fellow chiefs to look to traditional aboriginal medicine to help fight the next wave of H1N1. Acting grand chief Norman Bone of the Southern Chiefs' Organization said he wants to drive home the fact that First Nations have access to traditional remedies to improve their health and treat the flu on their own, rather than waiting for funding announcements. Bone said he's not suggesting people avoid vaccines in favour of traditional medicine. "What I'm also promoting is the use of both methods," he said. Calgary Herald


International News


The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has contracted with the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) to perform a comprehensive inventory of mechanical ventilators in every hospital in the United States. A survey is being taken to gain an accurate account of the number of ventilators that would be available in the event of a nationwide pandemic. The AARC clarifies that no relocation of ventilators will be performed as a result of this survey; the information is sought so that the government can acquire or assist in augmenting current ventilator capacity. RT Magazine


Due to growing concerns over the rapidly spreading H1N1 flu virus, some schools have decided to delay the start of the new semester, scheduled for yesterday, to prevent possible mass infections among students. They included three middle, 12 high schools and one international school that have recently reported a total of 38 confirmed infections. The total number of people infected with the flu virus in South Korea reached 3,113 yesterday with additional 188 cases in the day alone. Korea Herald


Two cases of influenza A/H1N1 flu have been registered for the first time in Kyrgyzstan, Sabirjan Abdykarimov, chief sanitary physician of Kyrgyzstan said at a recent meeting. Two citizens of Kyrgyzstan had been taken to the Republican Clinical Infectious Hospital on August 18 with flu-like symptoms. Primary laboratory tests, performed in the republic, have shown that the cases were positive for H1N1. Trend


Vaccine News


The World Health Organization's flu chief is urging drug makers to donate swine flu vaccines to the world's poorest countries, which are more vulnerable in the fight against the pandemic. Dr. Keiji Fukuda said the agency is working hard to lobby the world's rich nations and flu vaccine makers for donations. The WHO says the swine flu virus, also known as H1N1, has killed almost 1,800 people worldwide as of August 13, 2009. AP

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Global's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update - August 20, 2009

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 20th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)

The next update will be on Tuesday August 25th, at 08:30am PST.

The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6



Local/National

A new study shows the H1N1 virus spreads at the same relatively slow rate as SARS and other influenza viruses, offering some reassurance to scientists about the potential of preventing a widespread outbreak. The transmissibility of the virus was determined by looking at data from the spread of the virus in Mexico City, said Babak Pourbohloul of the University of B.C. Centre for Disease Control. The study says the 2009 pandemic virus also appears to be less transmissible than the fall wave of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Canada.com

International News

The British Department of Health has confirmed another 10 swine flu deaths in the past week, bringing the total death toll in the U.K. during the pandemic to 59. But the estimated number of new weekly cases has fallen again. In England, there were thought to be 11,000 infections, down from over 100,000 at the beginning of the month. Experts still said a second, and perhaps worse, peak could happen during the winter. BBC

Vaccine News

The World Health Organization recently stated that northern hemisphere countries have so far ordered more than one billion doses of swine flu vaccine, sparking warnings over potential shortages. Some countries, notably Greece, The Netherlands, Canada and Israel, have ordered enough double doses to inoculate their entire populations. Others, such as Germany, the United States, Britain, and France, have put in orders that would cover between 30 and 78 percent of people. A shortfall in supply would essentially oblige national health authorities to ration the vaccine. AFP

Adelaide Advertiser reported that the Australian government expects to receive its first 2 million doses of H1N1 vaccine by the end of next week. Pregnant women, health workers, and chronically ill people will be first in line for the vaccine. It is expected that immunizations could begin September 7, pending approval from national health authorities. They are awaiting safety data from the vaccine manufacturer, CSL, which is also making vaccine for the U.S. government. Adelaide Advertiser

Guidance and Recommendations

Federal officials in the United States have released new guidance to help businesses prepare for an expected resurgence of novel H1N1 activity during the upcoming influenza season, a document that clarifies how long sick workers should stay home and suggests ways to keep employees safe and business disruptions at a minimum. The recommendations were released at a news conference at US Department of Commerce headquarters in Washington, DC, and streamed live on the government's flu Web site, where the guidance document is posted, along with a communication toolkit for businesses and employers. CIDRAP

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Global's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update - August 18, 2009

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 18th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)

The next update will be on Thursday August 20th, at 08:30am PST.

The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6

Local/National News

According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Canadians need an independent flu "czar" who can cut across borders and direct provinces to follow orders in fighting the swine flu pandemic this fall. Paul Hébert, editor-in-chief of journal, said this person would have the power to quickly move equipment and health care staff between provinces in the event the H1N1 pandemic turns more sinister this fall. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, speaking Monday at the Canadian Medical Association conference in Saskatoon, said the country's pandemic preparedness plan is working well but needs to be tweaked. She refused to answer any questions about the CMAJ's call for a health czar. The Globe and Mail

As Prime Minister Stephen Harper begins a tour of the North, Inuit leaders are expressing concern that their people will be among the worst hit by H1N1 when the flu season arrives in Canada. Many of the high-risk groups that have been identified for H1N1, such as pregnant women, youth, and those living in close quarters, make up significant percentages of the Inuit population. The Globe and Mail

International News

An independent panel set up by the British Department of Health has warned government ministers that plans to make the antiviral drug Tamiflu widely available could do more harm than good, by helping the flu virus to develop resistance to the drug. The British government has pressed ahead with a policy of mass prescription, fearing the public would not tolerate being told that the millions of doses of Tamiflu held by the state could not be used during a pandemic. The Guardian

The Chinese ministries of education and health have issued strict rules to schools to curb the spread of swine flu, urging them to downsize classes and, in some cases, delay the start of the new academic year. Pupils who display flu symptoms seven days ahead of the new term would only be allowed to go back to school after making a full recovery. Schools were also urged to avoid big gatherings indoors, and to reduce class sizes to prevent the spread of the virus. Khaleej Times

The U.S. CDC has reported evidence of resistance to the antiviral medication Tamiflu in two severely immunosuppressed patients with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in Seattle, Washington. The two patients were treated in two different hospitals, and their cases were not linked. Both were being treated with Tamiflu for novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. In both patients, the virus was documented as initially susceptible to Tamiflu, and resistance developed subsequently during treatment with the drug. U.S. CDC

Vaccine News

The British government has decided that people with health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease will be the first to receive the swine flu vaccine in October. Priority will also be given to those aged between six months and 65 years old whose health problems could be aggravated by the flu. Next in line for the vaccine after at-risk groups will be all pregnant women and frontline health care workers. The rest of the population will then be vaccinated.


Thursday, August 13, 2009

Global's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update - August 13, 2009

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 13th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)

The next update will be on Tuesday August 18th, at 08:30am PST.

The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6


Local/National News

  • The Public Health Agency of Canada has awarded a $926,000 contract to the non-profit International Centre for Infectious Disease in Winnipeg to help small and medium-sized businesses respond to the H1N1 flu pandemic. According to Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq "The International Centre for Infectious Disease, in partnership with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, will develop extensive communication programs designed to reach over 300,000 small and medium businesses." CBC

International News


  • Pandemic H1N1 influenza is spreading in India, Thailand, and Vietnam with the onset of Asia's monsoon season, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday. The regular flu season has started in those countries, and both H1N1 and seasonal flu are being detected, said WHO spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi. However, the spread of pandemic H1N1 appears to have peaked in parts of the southern hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Reuters

  • In his clinical observation of novel flu cases in the United States and South America, Richard P. Wenzel, MD, former president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, has noted that some patients are afebrile (without fever), even some with serious infections, and lack of fever might underestimate case totals, the New York Times reported yesterday. New York Times

  • Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, will shut schools and movie theaters as pandemic flu-related deaths jumped, ignoring Indian federal government advice to keep educational institutions open. Schools will close for seven days and malls and movie halls for three to contain the virus, Prajakta Lavangare, a director general of the Maharashtra state government said. Bloomberg

  • France's minister of education is ready to close all of the country's schools in the event of a major pandemic flu outbreak. "In case of a complete pandemic we are ready to close all of the schools in France," Luc Chatel, France's eduction minister, was quoted as saying by Le Figaro, a Paris-based daily. French authorities have, over the summer, worked on distance learning materials that can be broadcast on television, radio and the Internet to help students forced to stay home keep up with their classes, he added. AFP

  • Health officials are being prudent to plan for a more severe second pandemic wave, but a historical review of previous pandemics offers confusing clues about patterns with no evidence that virus mutations led to increased transmissibility, two federal researchers wrote today in a commentary appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). JAMA


Guidance and Recommendations

  • The PHAC has released interim guidance for the Prevention and management of cases of influenza-like-illness (ILI) that may be due to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus on cruise ships.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Global's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update - August 11, 2009

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 11th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)

The next update will be on Thursday August 13th, at 08:30 PST.

The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6


Local/National News
  • Late last week the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that 64 deaths have occurred in Canada that were related to the H1N1 Pandemic. PHAC

  • The Government of Canada will soon place an order for 50.4 million doses of H1N1 vaccine. The government anticipates that there will be enough vaccines to cover those who may want the shot (75% of the population) even if two shots per person are required. PHAC

  • Health officials in Canada are urging citizens to find "flu buddies" to help care for them during the pandemic H1N1 pandemic. The Public Health Agency of Canada is urging people to check in on people who live alone or are vulnerable and help care for them or seek medical care if they are sick. It is hoped that the measure may help take some pressure off the health system and is among the general preparedness tactics that the agency will promote in the fall. Canwest News Service

International News


  • The number of pandemic H1N1 flu deaths in Argentina has risen to 337, according to the health ministry's latest report, suggesting that Argentina could soon pass United States as the country with the most fatalities. The number was more than double the deaths reported in the ministry's last report 2 weeks ago. Though Argentina has more fatalities than any South American country, officials believe novel flu cases have peaked. Guardian

  • To slow the spread of the pandemic H1N1 virus, Iran's health ministry has banned the country's citizens from attending the annual Hajj pilgrimage in December in Saudi Arabia. The health minister said through state media that the event draws 3 million pilgrims from all over the world, presenting a heightened risk of flu transmission. Iran has confirmed 145 cases so far, but no fatalities. AP

  • The US CDC reported that it assessed several rapid influenza diagnostic tests and found they had low sensitivity, ranging from 40% to 69%. Sensitivity declined substantially when the clinical samples had lower levels of virus, the agency said in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Thus a positive result can guide treatment, but a negative result does not exclude a novel H1N1 infection. The agency evaluated the tests using 65 samples known to contain novel H1N1 or seasonal viruses. MMWR

Vaccine News

  • Britain's National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) has produced a seed strain of pandemic H1N1 virus that grows much better than strains currently used. John Wood of the NIBSC said the strain grows about as well as typical seasonal flu seed strains, but the results must be confirmed by manufacturers. Vaccine makers welcomed the news as yields from the seed strains now in use have been 50% below those with seasonal flu vaccines or worse. Canadian Press

  • WellPoint, the United States’ largest health insurance company in terms of membership, says it will cover administration of the pandemic H1N1 vaccine as it becomes publicly available. WellPoint operates as Anthem Blue Cross in Virginia and as Empire Blue Cross in New York. Members whose plans already provide coverage for vaccines will qualify for the added coverage. IFAwebnews

  • While acknowledging that clinical data will be limited when the first doses are administered, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the fast-tracking of vaccines for pandemic H1N1 influenza won't compromise safety. "The public needs to be reassured that regulatory procedures in place for the licensing of pandemic vaccines, including procedures for expediting regulatory approval, are rigorous and do not compromise safety or quality controls," the agency said in a statement. CIDRAP

Antiviral News


  • An analysis of studies of the effects of oseltamivir and zanamivir for seasonal flu treatment and prophylaxis in children aged 12 and younger showed a small benefit, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. The authors, who looked at seven studies, found that the drugs provided a small benefit by shortening illness duration and reducing household transmission, but they had little effect on asthma or antibiotic use. Vomiting was reported in children who took oseltamivir. BMJ

  • The Australian drug company Biota recently reported positive phase 3 study results from Asian countries of its new antiviral medication laninamivir, a long-acting neuraminidase inhibitor. In adults, a single inhaled dose of the new drug was as effective as oseltamivir taken twice a day for 5 days. Similar trials in children showed the drug was safe and effective. Preclinical studies suggested that the new antiviral is effective against seasonal H5N1 and pandemic H1N1 viruses. Biota

Guidance and Recommendations

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Global's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update - August 6, 2009

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 6th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)

The next update will be on Tuesday August 11th, at 08:30 PST.

The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6


Local/National News

  • Earlier this week the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that 62 deaths have occurred in Canada that were related to the H1N1 Pandemic. PHAC

  • In the wake of recent swine flu outbreaks at summer camps in B.C. and elsewhere, BC’s top health officer is advising camps to be on alert for children who show symptoms of the virus. We expect to see the virus spread," health officer Dr. Perry Kendall said Friday. "Children's camps are likely to be hot spots." Kendall issued a set of guidelines Friday for the prevention and management of the H1N1 flu after he confirmed outbreaks at two camps in the B.C. Interior last week. Vancouver Sun

  • Aboriginal leaders are looking to Canada's premiers for more help as First Nations' communities struggle with the H1N1 Pandemic. Beverley Jacobs, president of the Native Women's Association, says the H1N1 pandemic will be on the agenda when the aboriginal leaders and premiers meet Wednesday in Regina. CP

International News

  • In an update on H1N1 influenza activity, the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier this week that 168 countries and territories on all continents have now had cases and that the new virus increasingly dominates the flu landscape. The new virus accounted for an average of 71% of all flu viruses identified in those countries, including 66% in the northern hemisphere and 89% in the southern hemisphere. CIDRAP

  • Federal officials are considering plans to recommend fewer school closures, according to anonymous sources. Early in the H1N1 flu outbreak, officials recommended closures when student illnesses were confirmed, but later recommended closing only when large numbers were ill. The new guidance might recommend closure only under "extenuating circumstances," such as schools that have large numbers of children with chronic medical conditions Washington Post

  • India's announcement of its first novel flu death 2 days ago sparked panic at a hospital in the town where the 14-year-old girl died. Hundreds of people gathered outside a hospital in Pune hoping to be tested for the virus. Several fights broke out while people were waiting in long lines. Local authorities are testing all students who attended the girl's school, the Press Trust of India reported. AP

  • Frequent handwashing and the wearing of face masks at home can help reduce the transmission of influenza viruses within the household if the measures are implemented in good time, a study in Hong Kong has found. The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, are seen as important as patients may need to be quarantined at home in a pandemic if hospitals run short of isolation facilities. Reuters

  • The California Nurses Association plans to protest Wednesday in San Francisco in the wake of a Sacramento nurse's swine flu death last month. The union wants hospitals to provide better masks, equipment and protocol to protect nurses from further sickness. The union says nurses across the state are reporting difficulties getting the masks recommended by the US CDC, and having them properly fitted to be airtight. AP

  • More than 1,100 people worldwide have died from H1N1 Pandemic virus since it emerged in Mexico and the U.S. in April, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization. CNN

Vaccine News

  • Novartis has launched human trials of its novel H1N1 vaccine, according to a company spokesman. The company, like other vaccine makers, is seeing antigen yields that are only 30% to 50% of seasonal flu vaccine, but is still working with the original seed strains. The spokesman said Novartis is testing an unadjuvanted vaccine for the US market and an adjuvanted version for use in Europe and expects to begin shipping in the last quarter of 2009. AP

  • A British laboratory may have found a fix for the low yield problem that has been plaguing companies making Pandemic flu vaccine. The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control says it is ready to ship new versions of its vaccine seed strain to manufacturers. CP

Guidance and Recommendations

  • The BC Centers for Disease Control has released guidelines for the prevention and management of H1N1 Pandemic Influenza in Summer Camps.

  • The US CDC has issued Recommendations for the Amount of Time Persons with Influenza-Like Illness Should be Away from Others. CDC recommends that people with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. This is a change from the previous recommendation that ill persons stay home for 7 days after illness onset or until 24 hours after the resolution of symptoms, whichever was longer. The new recommendation applies to camps, schools, businesses, mass gatherings, and other community settings where the majority of people are not at increased risk for influenza complications. This guidance does not apply to health care settings where the exclusion period should be continued for 7 days from symptom onset or until the resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Global's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update - August 4, 2009

GMS Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Update as of August 4th, 2009

(0830 HRS PST)

The next update will be on Thursday August 6th, at 08:30 PST.

The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6


Local/National News
  • The head of the Federation of Canadian Cities has charged that Canada has no national plan for protecting critical frontline workers such as police, firefighters, and transit workers. In an open letter to federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, Basil Stewart said Canada's pandemic plan does not say who will have priority access to vaccines and antivirals. A spokesman for Aglukkaq said ongoing epidemiologic studies will guide vaccine allocation. Globe and Mail


International News
  • The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday it is aware of a total of 5,514 H1N1 flu hospitalizations and 353 deaths from 47 states and territories. Meanwhile, the CDC's flu surveillance report for last week says that Pandemic H1N1 activity continued to drop for the fifth consecutive week, with only four states and Puerto Rico reporting widespread activity, down from seven states the week before. CDC H1N1 flu hospitalization and death count

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) today issued a list of warning signs of possible severe disease in H1N1 flu patients, while adding its voice to the recent warnings about the virus's threat to pregnant women. The WHO said signs that can signal a progression to severe disease include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, turning blue, bloody or colored sputum, chest pain, altered mental status, high fever lasting more than 3 days, and low blood pressure. In addition, particular danger signs in children include fast or difficult breathing, lack of alertness, difficulty in waking up, and little or no desire to play. CIDRAP

  • Britain's Health Protection Agency estimated late last week that the country had about 110,000 new cases of H1N1 flu the week prior, as compared with about 100,000 the week before that. But the agency said overall indications are that the number of cases is "no longer rising rapidly, and may have plateaued." Cases appear to have decreased in 5- to 14-year-olds but were still rising in other age-groups, officials said. UK weekly pandemic flu update

  • The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Department of Education have set up a system for monitoring school dismissals related to the H1N1 pandemic. School districts have the option of filling out and submitting the report online or printing out a form that can be submitted by e-mail or fax. CDC/DOE school dismissal monitoring portal

  • Argentina's pandemic H1N1 cases have peaked, and so far the death rate from the disease seems to be less than for seasonal flu, said public health experts. However, one official said the disease has had its greatest impact on young people. With more than a month left of the country's flu season, scientists report that viruses isolated in Argentina are nearly identical to those circulating in North America. AP

Vaccine News
  • Canadian health officials said last week that they would wait until at least September to finalize pandemic H1N1 vaccine priorities. Dr David Butler-Jones, chief public health officer, said authorities still have time to assess developments, such as the southern hemisphere's evolving flu season. Jul 30 Canwest News Service

Antiviral News
  • Two survey studies in the Jul 30 issue of Eurosurveillance report side effects in British schoolchildren who received prophylactic oseltamivir treatment. In an online survey of three London schools, 53% of the children reported side effects, including gastrointestinal (40%) and mild neuropsychiatric (18%) problems. In the other study, 51% of students from one school reported symptoms such as feeling sick, headache, or stomachache. Compliance was higher in the single-school study. Eurosurveillance

  • Britain has seen a spurt in reported negative side effects from oseltamivir (Tamiflu) use since the National Pandemic Flu Service was launched Jul 23. The service allows people to get the drug over the phone without seeing a doctor. 293 reports have come in since early April, of which 143 were in the past week. The reported effects include vomiting, diarrhea, and psychiatric and nervous system problems. Daily Mail

Guidance and Recommendations

  • The Government of Canada has released three guidance documents for health care workers and emergency responders to prevent and control infections of H1N1 influenza, Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq and Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, stated. The guidance documents are for workers in acute care facilities, long term facilities, and for emergency response workers including paramedics, ambulance attendants, police officers and firefighters.

  • The CDC recently issued a tool to help communities develop and manage call centers as a way of relieving pressure on 911 systems and healthcare systems during the H1N1 flu pandemic. The guidance, developed by a Department of Energy facility, acknowledges that each community's needs and capabilities vary. Communities are urged to identify key partners and build on systems that are already in place. CDC call center guidance