Flu spike in southeastern U.S. prompts renewed push for shots

By Stacey Singer

Updated: 9:53 p.m. Monday, March 29, 2010

Posted: 4:33 p.m. Monday, March 29, 2010

If you thought we'd heard the last of the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, don't bet on it.

Several southeastern states are seeing an unusual springtime uptick in the number of flu hospitalizations, prompting the CDC on Monday to call a news conference and remind laggards to get vaccinated.

Of particular concern is a resurgence of flu in Georgia, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

There, for three consecutive weeks, hospitals have seen serious flu in numbers not recorded since October's peak. Georgia had 40 confirmed H1N1 hospitalized cases last week, she said.

The vast majority were adults with underlying conditions who had not gotten vaccinated against the 2009 H1N1 flu, she said. Those more vulnerable include pregnant women, diabetics, and people with lung disease and heart disease.

Georgia's not alone. Both South Carolina and Alabama are reporting regional flu activity.

Florida's not far off. Here, the number of confirmed H1N1 cases hit 39 for the week ending March 23, health officials reported, with Palm Beach County seeing more flu activity than other parts of the state.

Schuchat said she's not yet ready to say a third wave of flu is emerging. But the CDC is concerned, especially since last year's outbreak began in April and continued through the summer, an unusual pattern for flu.

"I am just worried that infections are going to keep happening day in and day out in people who think they don't have to worry about vaccination any more," Schuchat said.

The 2009/2010 flu season has been an odd one. The absolute number of deaths and hospitalizations haven't been noteworthy — an estimated 60 million have been affected, 265,000 hospitalized and 12,000 have died, according to U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin.

By comparison, about 36,000 deaths a year are attributed to seasonal flu.

What has been noteworthy about the pandemic strain is the age of its victims and the timing of its peaks.

Around 330 children have died nationwide since the H1N1 flu outbreak began. Normally, flu kills about 90 children a year.

Overall, nine out of 10 pandemic flu deaths have been in people under age 65, Schuchat said.

"That's much more deaths among younger people than we typically see with seasonal influenza," Schuchat said.

And while flu is usually busiest in the winter, so far the pandemic strain has come in last year's late spring and early fall waves. Whether there will be another spring/summer wave of H1N1 flu is still unknown, Schuchat said.

The good news, she said, is that the vaccine against H1N1 flu is widely available. In the fall, when the 2010/2011 flu vaccine is released, it will also contain the H1N1 flu strain along with two others.

The Palm Beach County Health Department is taking appointments for free vaccinations at (888) 411-4FLU, and offering them at several upcoming clinics. For dates and times go to www.fightfluflorida.com.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer