[Update]4/30/09- CDC has confirmed US cases to 109.
[Update- 4/29/09] CDC reports 91 cases confirmed in the U.S..... update found here.
The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now has the total of confirmed Swine Flu cases at 64 and each day that number seems to be rising.
California 10 cases
Kansas 2 cases
New York City 45 cases
Ohio 1 case
Texas 6 cases
TOTAL COUNT 64 cases
These figures are as of As of April 28, 2009, 11:00 AM ET.
[...]
The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, CDC reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients. Internationally, the situation is more serious too, with additional countries reporting confirmed cases of swine flu. In response to the intensifying outbreak, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 4. A Phase 4 alert is characterized by confirmed person-to-person spread of a new influenza virus able to cause “community-level” outbreaks.” The increase in the pandemic alert phase indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.
Unfortunately, reports also show that the U.S. also has it's first death from this rapidly spreading Swine flu.
A 23-month old Mexican boy died after the family brought him to Houston for treatment.
Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC says that more deaths are suspected, stating "I fully expect we will see [more] deaths from this infection"
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, has also stated the same thing, saying "It is very likely that we will see more serious presentations of illness and some deaths as we go through this flu cycle."
Mexico has been the epicenter of the outbreak, with more than 150 suspected deaths and at least 2,000 infected with the virus.
The number of confirmed cases of the illness continued to inch higher in the United States and Europe on Wednesday. In France, the health minister took the extraordinary step of calling for a suspension of all flights from the European Union to Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, even as a Mexican health official said that the death toll appeared to be stabilizing.
Hundreds in New York sick and Swine Flu has gone global.
While the numbers above, from the CDC, show 45 confirmed cases in New York, other reports say hundreds of people from a New York school, St. Francis Preparatory, have become ill, and the numbers of confirmed cases are expected to rise fast.
Cuba also suspended flights to and from Mexico, becoming the first country to impose a travel ban to the epicenter of the epidemic. Confirmed cases of swine flu were reported for the first time as far away as New Zealand and Israel, joining the United States, Canada, Britain, Spain, and Germany.
Current WHO phase of pandemic alert.
Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to cause “community-level outbreaks.” The ability to cause sustained disease outbreaks in a community marks a significant upwards shift in the risk for a pandemic. Any country that suspects or has verified such an event should urgently consult with WHO so that the situation can be jointly assessed and a decision made by the affected country if implementation of a rapid pandemic containment operation is warranted. Phase 4 indicates a significant increase in risk of a pandemic but does not necessarily mean that a pandemic is a forgone conclusion.
Statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan 27 April 2009 below:
The Emergency Committee, established in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), held its second meeting on 27 April 2009.
The Committee considered available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The Committee also considered reports of possible spread to additional countries.
On the advice of the Committee, the WHO Director-General decided on the following.
* The Director-General has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current phase 3 to phase 4.
The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable.
As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to phase 3 or raise the level of alert to another phase.
This decision was based primarily on epidemiological data demonstrating human-to-human transmission and the ability of the virus to cause community-level outbreaks.
* Given the widespread presence of the virus, the Director-General considered that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The current focus should be on mitigation measures.
* The Director-General recommended not to close borders and not to restrict international travel. It was considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.
* The Director-General considered that production of seasonal influenza vaccine should continue at this time, subject to re-evaluation as the situation evolves. WHO will facilitate the process needed to develop a vaccine effective against A(H1N1) virus.
* The Director-General stressed that all measures should conform with the purpose and scope of the International Health Regulations.
You can keep up with the latest news about Swine Flu, on Google News, key words Swine Flu and listed by date so the newest is shown on top.
As a side note: U.S. officials want "Swine" taken out of the flu name.
That ship has sailed, good luck with that.
The American Society of International Law has this to say:
News reports on April 26, 2009, also indicated that possible cases had been identified in Australia, France, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, and Spain.The actual and possible appearance of this new virus in multiple locations in Mexico, the United States, and Canada and in North America, Europe, and Asia indicated that geographical containment of the virus is not possible.
Previous:
Number of Swine Flu Confirmed Cases Continues to Rise.
Swine Flu Update
"Swine Flu: U.S. Declares Public Emergency"
"Swine Flu: Pandemic Potential"
.
