PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Health Ministry Issues Warning As Jamaica Records Fourth Swine Flu-Related Death - The Number Of Confirmed Cases Now Up To 28!

March 6, 2016 - JAMAICA - The Ministry of Health is appealing to persons who fall within the high-risk groups for severe complications to seek treatment early if they experience symptoms of Influenza infection.

This comes as the country recorded its fourth Influenza A(H1N1) associated death. The latest patient is a pregnant woman who had other illnesses, including lung related complications.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Winston De La Haye advises that persons with other illnesses usually experience more severe symptoms of Influenza A(H1N1) which can lead to a worsening of their pre-existing condition.

To date, four persons have died, all of whom had severe complications including heart and lung related illnesses.

The patient, a 29-year-old woman was pregnant with twins. She died at the University Hospital of the West Indies. In the meantime,
a hospital official says there have now been 28 cases of adults and seven children with the swine flu.

“Patients in the high risk groups usually have other illnesses made worse by the infection or a compromised immune system. We generally see the greatest effects in persons with non-communicable diseases such as heart and lung related illnesses and respiratory diseases such as asthma,” De La Haye said.

He says it is important that treatment for these persons is initiated early so that there is a greater chance of recovery.

“I am appealing to persons in the high risk group including pregnant women, young children, the elderly, those with non-communicable diseases and any illness or undergoing treatment that weakens the immune system to seek medical help as soon as they begin to notice symptoms,” he said.

Influenza presents with symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, headache and body aches and fatigue. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also be experienced.

  Since January, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 28 cases of Influenza A(H1N1). The death of any person who had any of the associated conditions of the flu is recorded as an H1N1 death.

The Centre for Disease Control’s National Centre for Health Statistics estimates that 56,979 persons die each year from influenza and pneumonia associated complications.

Individuals who wish to obtain more information may call the Ministry of Health or the nearest health centre.

Persons may also visit the ministry's website at moh.gov.jm and like and follow us on www.facebook.com/themohgovjm; https://twitter.com/themohgovjm; https://instagram.com/themohgovjm.

- Jamaica Gleaner.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Jamaica Records Second Swine Flu-Related Death - The Number Of Confirmed Cases Now Up To 10!

February 29, 2016 - JAMAICA - The Health Ministry is reporting a second death linked to the H1N1 virus commonly called (Swine Flu).

At the same time, the number of confirmed cases is now up to 10.

Acting chief medical officer in the Health Ministry, Dr Winston De La Haye, says the second patient to have died was a 49-year-old woman who had "other complicating illnesses".

She died at the University Hospital of the West Indies on February 23.

However, De La Haye says the positive result from a test for H1N1 was received only yesterday.

The second patient to have died was a 49-year-old woman who had "other complicating illnesses".

Fifty-year-old medical doctor, Suzanna Roye, who was also admitted at the UHWI, was the first patient to die from H1N1-related issues.

In the meantime, De La Haye says Jamaica remains on high alert for a possible spread of the virus.

"What we really want to stress is persons to do the appropriate hygiene," he said.

The virus was first reported in Jamaica in early February.

Swine Flu is a category one illness which means that within 24 hours of suspecting a case of severe acute respiratory illness, medical practitioners must report it to the health authority. - Jamaica Gleaner.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Jamaica Activates National Influenza Plan Following Spike In Swine Flu Cases - 10 H1N1 Cases Since The Start Of The Year, Including The Death Of A Female Doctor; Country On High Alert!

February 23, 2016 - JAMAICA - The Ministry of Health is putting measures in place to prepare the health sector for more influenza cases, following an increase in cases of H1N1, commonly referred to as Swine Flu, and one death linked to that illness.

And Minister of Health Horace Dalley says he has instructed the National Emergency Operations Centre team to activate the national influenza plan.

“We have been reviewing our systems to ensure that we are able to manage any increase in cases that may come at our public health facilities. The team has been instructed to ensure that the necessary resources are put in place across all the Regional Health Authorities,” he said.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Winston De La Haye says the ministry has been monitoring symptoms associated with influenza viruses through its surveillance system and has noted an increase in cases over the past six weeks.

Minister of Health Horace Dalley (Photo: Jamaica Gleaner)

As a result doctors have been advised to report cases of influenza on suspicion within 24 hours.

“We have confirmed 10 cases since the start of the year and so far identified two strains of influenza viruses that are circulating among the population. Nine of the ten cases are H1N1. That nine includes one death. We have been strengthening our systems and increasing our supplies of medication to deal with this increase,” Dr. De La Haye said.

Over the weekend, a female doctor who was infected with H1N1, died in hospital. It was the first H1N1-related death in Jamaica.

Doctor first to die from swine flu-related issues, illness now on high alert list #Jamaica #H1N1 https://t.co/e9T3ilSagR

— Jan Voordouw (@JanVoordouw) February 21, 2016

The ministry says additional supplies of Tami Flu, used to treat H1N1, have been acquired with more supplies to come. But Dr. De La Haye noted that Tamiflu is only used to treat symptoms in severely affected patients and does not prevent illness.

Other measures put in place include: frontline staff being offered the flu vaccine, isolation areas in hospitals prepared, additional equipment, testing capacity being increased and increased public education.

Don't ignore Swine Flu symptoms. Be Alert, Be Healthy!#SwineFlu #HealthyIndia pic.twitter.com/mvua8kVS2t

— Mera Medicare (@MeraMedicare) March 23, 2015

Dr. De La Haye is urging citizens to also take steps to protect themselves and others from infection by observing proper hygiene practices.

Influenza is a viral respiratory illness that presents with symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, headache and body aches and fatigue. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may also be experienced.Influenza viruses are mainly spread from person to person through droplets produced while coughing or sneezing, or by persons touching surfaces contaminated with droplets. - Caribbean 360.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Concerns Mount As Deadly And Contagious Canine Flu Spreads Beyond U.S. Midwest - At Least 8 Dogs Killed So Far; Vets Confirm No Vaccine Found Yet!

May 21, 2015 - UNITED STATES - The same strain of dog flu that has killed pets in the Midwest has been detected in a dog in the metro Atlanta area, according to the University of Georgia Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories.

And protecting man's best friend from the potentially deadly virus may involve a low-tech approach for now.

The Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory said it identified the first positive case of Canine influenza in Georgia on May 15.

The infected dog was coughing, had fever, lethargy and anorexia. It was up to date on its DHLPP, Rabies and Bordetella vaccinations.

The affected dog had been in contact with other dogs at a metro Atlanta boarding facility, according to UGA officials. Officials have not revealed which boarding facility the affected dog was in.

But the most common way to avoid viruses like dog flu - vaccinations - won't work in this case, officials are now saying.

That's because there is no vaccine for this specific strain just yet - only the older more common version.

And while some boarding facilities are stepping up vaccination requirements others are taking a wait-and-see approach and not requiring them.


WATCH: Deadly canine flu strain hits metro Atlanta.

"Our local vets don't recommend that we require this vaccine. They've informed us that it give them zero protection to this strain," an employee of Dog Days Boarding in Buckhead said.

The contagious flu strain, known as H3N2, has killed at least 8 dogs and sickened more than 1,700 in the Chicago area, according to NBC News.

Symptoms to watch for in your pet include coughing, nasal discharge and lethargy.

Dogs that are kept at day cares, parks, or kennels are often considered "high risk."

So that's why veterinarians are keeping the owners and operators of these facilities in the loop to spot the symptoms early.

"The great thing is we've notified the boarding kennels of what to look for and identifying these dogs very quickly," Veterinarian Dr. Duffy Jones said. "If they start to show any signs they can isolate them." - 11 Alive.

 

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Measles Outbreak Spreads To Three More U.S. States - 121 People Now Affected!

February 9, 2015 - UNITED STATES - The measles outbreak spread to three more states and 19 additional people last week, according to an update posted Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The highly contagious disease is now in 17 states, with 121 people affected. The vast majority of the cases are part of the large outbreak that began in Southern California Disney theme parks in late December, the health agency said.

That total is on pace to easily surpass the 644 cases in the United States in 2014, the greatest number since measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Last week, the CDC reported 102 cases in 14 states.

Authorities have said the resurgence is mostly caused by the growing number of people who are declining to vaccinate their children for personal reasons, or delaying the vaccinations.

Measles cases: Jan. 1 to Feb. 6, 2015. There are 121 cases reported in Washington, DC and 17 states (California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, South
Dakota, Utah, Texas, Washington, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware). (CDC)

"This is a teachable moment for this country," former U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman said at a conference Monday at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomber School of Public Health. "When we see a disease that was almost eliminated in the early 1980s now come back with a jolt all around this country, we have to ask ourselves what’s going on.

"Not even vaccines are immune to politics ... I've seen politics threaten vaccination efforts time and time again," he added. - Washington Post.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: "We Are Very Concerned" - CDC Warns Of "LARGE OUTBREAK" Of Measles In The United States, As Anxiety Spreads!

 Dr. Charles Goodman gave 1-year-old Cameron Fierro the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at his practice in Northridge, Calif., on Thursday.
Credit Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

February 2, 2015 - UNITED STATES - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Tom Frieden on Sunday warned that the U.S. could see a "large outbreak" of measles. "We are very concerned by the growing number of people who are susceptible to measles, and the possibility that we could have a large outbreak in this country as a result," Frieden said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

There are at least 102 reported cases in 14 states, according to the CDC. Frieden said that the U.S. is "likely to see more cases."

Frieden said there is "aggressive public health action" to identify those with measles, isolate those sick and quarantine those who have been exposed.

But he said the best way to prevent the spread of measles was vaccination.

Frieden said despite the U.S.'s 92 percent vaccination rate, there is growing evidence more parents are not vaccinating their children.


WATCH: CDC warns of 'large outbreak' of measles.

"What we’ve seen is, as over the last few years, a small but growing number of people, have not been vaccinated. That number is building up among young adults in society, and that makes us vulnerable," he said.

Frieden acknowledged that some parents are concerned about the safety of vaccines, or think measles no longer exists.

"One in six kids could have a fever ten days after, but the vaccine is safe and effective. And for those parents that may think that measles is gone, it’s still here, and it can be quite serious," he said.

Frieden also appeared on ABC's "This Week," urging parents to vaccinate their children.

"What you do for your own kids doesn't just affect your family. It affects other families as well," he said. "The more kids who are not vaccinated, the more they're at risk and the more they put their neighbors' kids at risk as well.” - The Hill.

As Measles Cases Spread in U.S., So Does Anxiety

The measles outbreak tied to Disneyland continued to spread anxiety Friday as two new cases emerged overnight in Marin County in California — along with at least one in Nebraska — while Arizona officials warned that at least 1,000 people may have been exposed to the virus through seven others in that state.

Since Jan. 1, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 84 measles cases in 14 states. California’s health department, which is updating a measles count more frequently, has found more than 90 cases in the United States and Mexico so far, with 52 linked to the Disneyland outbreak.

Concern about the highly contagious disease intensified Friday in several states, including Minnesota, where health officials are notifying hundreds of people who may have come into contact with a University of Minnesota student with measles.

There was also anxiety in Arizona, where thousands of people are arriving in Phoenix for the Super Bowl on Sunday. The disease centers are now advising anyone with symptoms not to attend the game.

“The very large outbreaks we’ve seen around the world often started with a small number of cases,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the agency’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Officials in three counties in the Phoenix area — Maricopa, Gila and Pinal — have already asked residents who have not been vaccinated and who might have been exposed to stay home from school, work or day care for 21 days. Schools in some other states are considering more formal bans on unvaccinated children.

“This is a critical point in this outbreak,” the Arizona state health director, Will Humble, wrote on his blog. Any missed cases, he wrote, could cause “a long and protracted outbreak.”

Each case so far has spawned an exhaustive public health response.

News sites in Pennsylvania and other states are alerting readers when measles-infected individuals have visited local establishments, an effort to warn residents of exposure. And in places like New Mexico, where the number of unvaccinated children increased 17 percent from 2012 to 2014, health officials are warning that the disease could soon hit.

In Minneapolis, the Minnesota Department of Health said Friday that it is working with the University of Minnesota to manage the case of measles diagnosed in a 20-year-old male university student. It has notified other students who may have been exposed, along with health officials at the hospital where he sought treatment.

“We are going to be watching this situation very closely,” the Minnesota commissioner of health, Dr. Edward Ehlinger, said.

Dr. Ehlinger emphasized that the potential risk to the general public is very low, but said people should take precautions to protect themselves and their children. In particular, he called on parents to make sure their children have been properly immunized.

A spokesman for the state health department, Doug Schultz, said the student had probably contracted the measles on a trip to Indonesia. The student told health authorities that he had received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Mr. Schultz said, but that it was unclear when he had received his last shot.

The vaccine, Mr. Schultz said, is about 95 percent effective, so it is possible for people who are current with their vaccinations to contract the virus. In Minnesota, about 1.6 percent of people decline to be vaccinated, Mr. Schultz said.

In Nebraska, Leah Bucco-White, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said Friday that officials had confirmed two cases of measles in children in the eastern part of the state.

The first case is related to the Disneyland outbreak, Ms. Bucco-White said, but the origin of the second case remained unclear. “We’re still investigating the source of exposure.”

Health officials in Nebraska are recommending a quarantine for individuals who may have been exposed, and are sending out information to health care providers on what kind of symptoms to watch for.

Public health officials from across the nation have made appeals in recent days to have their children immunized, and there are signs that the trend away from vaccination may be reversing in at least some locations.

In Maricopa County, Arizona, three clinics have experienced a surge in visitors requesting measles vaccinations for their children, according to health officials, who reported a 50 percent rise in vaccination requests over last year.

The clinics have added nurses, and lines have begun to form. One visitor was a parent from Mesa who had two children, ages 12 and 14, who had not received measles vaccinations.

“If you’re trying to make lemonade out of the situation,” said Jeanene Fowler, a spokeswoman for the county health department, “that’s the best we can ask for.” - NY Times.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Up To 1,000 Exposed To Measles In Arizona - Health Officials Believe The Cases Will Grow, Asks People Who May Have Come In Contact With The Virus To Isolate Themselves!

A doctor prepares to administer a measles vaccination to a child at in Miami.(Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images)

January 30, 2015 - ARIZONA, UNITED STATES - With as many as 1,000 people across three Arizona counties potentially exposed to the measles, state public-health officials are asking people who think they may have come in contact with the virus to isolate themselves.

In addition, they are asking those who may have been exposed not to show up at doctors' offices, emergency rooms or urgent-care centers, where others could be exposed to the highly contagious virus, which can linger in the air for two hours.

Maricopa County Public Health Director Bob England said parents who are concerned about sending their children to school or day care should start asking direct questions.

"It is perfectly reasonable to ask their child-care provider or school how many kids in that school are not vaccinated because parents chose not to," he said.

To date, officials have confirmed seven cases of measles: five in Pinal County, two in Maricopa County. In addition, health officials in Gila County are working to identify anyone who might have come in contact with one of the Pinal County patients, who visited a hospital there in mid-January.

The possible exposure rate of 1,000 people is tied in large part to those who may have come in contact with 195 children who Maricopa County health officials say were exposed to measles between Jan. 20 and 21 at the Phoenix Children's East Valley Center in Mesa.

Public-health officials believe the cases of measles will probably grow, but they do not want to instill panic.

The general public is not advised to wear masks or avoid public transportation, England said.

"I don't want people to change their lives," he said. "If you go out in public, you are way more likely to get the flu. What we're trying to do is nip this in the bud, track people who've been exposed, keep them out of child care and work, so it doesn't become widespread."

Mesa resident Shana Bereche, 30, is one of the people potentially exposed and is waiting to see if her 4-month-old daughter, Leighton, shows any symptoms.

Bereche said she had taken Leighton to the Phoenix Children's East Valley Center Jan. 21 for a doctor's appointment.

She said the county told her they were at the clinic 30 minutes before and two hours after the person with measles had been there. "So, I don't know if we shared a room, passed in the hall," she said.
Wednesday was the first possible day Leighton was considered contagious, said Bereche, who is keeping her daughter quarantined at home. "But it could take up to Feb. 10 to show signs or symptoms," she said. "If she wakes up on Feb. 11 with no rash, we're in the clear."

The difficult part, Bereche said, is that Leighton has excessive drooling and coughs, some of the symptoms of having measles. "But that's common for a baby," she said.

On Monday, Leighton received a shot of immunoglobulin, to help build her immune system.

Those who have been notified they were exposed or believe they have come in contact with someone carrying the measles virus are urged to go into self-quarantine.

"Anybody who is unvaccinated or undervaccinated (received only the first of two recommended doses) who has been exposed to measles patients, needs to be in isolation for 21 days," said Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.


WATCH: Gila County health officials are tracking 14 people who might have been exposed to measles at a hospital.

Local pharmacies can give the measles shot, but those interested are advised to call ahead to make sure your local drugstore has the vaccine in stock. The co-pay will vary depending on a person's health plan. If you are not insured, expect to pay about $100 per shot.

Vaccination rates for measles, mumps and rubella in Maricopa and Pinal vary greatly among county kindergartens for the 2013-14 school year, according to Arizona Department of Health Services records. Rates range from 100% to as low as 38%.

The statistics are for kindergartens with more than 20 students enrolled. The state would not release information regarding those smaller schools, citing concerns over privacy.

All three state universities — Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University — require students to provide verification they've had two measles vaccinations before they can register for classes.

The most proactive approach against the disease is to ensure that someone has been vaccinated or check to see if they have had the measles, England and Humble stress.

It's a matter of taking the personal responsibility to guard against the spread of the disease, Humble added. "Everybody needs to tell the truth" about whether they've had the measles or have been vaccinated, Humble said. And those who know they have not gotten the vaccine should comply for the good of the community, he said, adding: "We all have to do this together. It's the golden rule. It's not complicated."

He noted that the measles can cause blindness, deafness and even death — especially in young children.

Health officials say measles begins with a fever, red and watery eyes, a cough and a runny nose, followed by a red, raised and blotchy rash that begins on the head at the hairline and moves to the lower extremities. Symptoms typically appear seven to 12 days after exposure to measles but it may take up to 21 days.

Dr. Amy Shoptaugh, a pediatrician at All About Kids Pediatrics in Tempe, said her office has had an increase in calls from parents whose children have not been vaccinated.

Shoptaugh said she last saw a case of measles 20 years ago, when she was working in Nepal.

"If you get the measles, you can get very sick," she said. "There can be a fever of 104 or 105 with a rash that is pretty significant."

The only real treatment is taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

The recent outbreak likely originated at Disneyland before Christmas. The California Department of Public Health reported last week that the state has 59 confirmed cases, with 42 linked to Disneyland or California Adventure in Anaheim. The outbreak has spread to Washington, Utah, Colorado, Oregon and Arizona.

The two Arizona cases confirmed Tuesday involve a man in Pinal County and a woman in Phoenix and were tied to a Kearny-area family of four whose measles cases were confirmed last week following travel to Disneyland.

Gila County health officials said the patient in question visited the Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center at 1:47 a.m. on Jan. 14. Anyone who was working at the hospital or visited between 1:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 14 was potentially exposed, and health officials have identified nine staff members and eight non-staff members whom they are tracking.

Last week, Maricopa County officials reported that a woman in her 50s tested positive for measles, which they believe she contracted at Disneyland.

Republic reporters Anne Ryman, Caitlin McGlade and Sarah Jarvis contributed to this article.
Measles symptoms

Typically appear seven to 21 days after exposure to measles.

Begin with fever (101 F or higher), red and watery eyes, cough and runny nose.

Are followed by a rash that is red, raised and blotchy. The rash begins on the face at the hairline and moves down the body. The rash may last for five to six days and may turn brownish.
If you think you have measles

Contact your health-care provider, emergency room or urgent-care center by phone. They will direct you when to visit so as not to expose others in the waiting area. - USA Today.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Two Dead And Five Hospitalized After Mystery Respiratory Illness Hits South Alabama - Victims Had Symptoms Of Fever, Cough And Shortness Of Breath!

May 22, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Two people have died and five others have been hospitalized by a mysterious respiratory illness in southeast Alabama, state health officials said on Tuesday.  All seven adults had been admitted to hospitals with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath in recent weeks, said Alabama Department of Public Health spokeswoman Mary McIntyre.  McIntyre said it's unclear what's causing the illness but some of the seven patients also had the flu. 

Authorities are urging hospital staff to wear masks when caring for patients who appear to be suffering from respiratory illnesses.

So far, one sample has tested positive for H1N1 influenza A, but it's not clear that that is behind the unusual illnesses.  There's no evidence of other kinds of flu, including the H7N9 strain that has caused illness and death in China, McIntyre said. 

'At this point it's too early to tell,' McIntyre told NBC News. 'That's why we called it a respiratory illness of unknown origin.'  There's no evidence that any of the victims had a connection or traveled outside the country, which would have put them at risk for unusual pathogens, including a deadly new coronavirus recently christened MERS or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.  

All seven adults had been admitted to hospitals with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Authorities are urging hospital staff to wear masks when caring for patients who appear to be suffering from respiratory illnesses.  Laboratory samples have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but testing results are not yet available, officials said.  McIntyre says officials hope to have preliminary results on the samples back by Wednesday or Thursday morning.  The illness was first reported late last week and the last of the seven patients was hospitalized Monday, McIntyre said.  It wasn't immediately clear which municipalities the illnesses were concentrated in.  State and federal health officials are continuing to investigate. - Daily Mail.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: America's Flu Epidemic - Twenty One Children Killed As Death Toll Hits Highest Level Since 2004!

January 16, 2013 - UNITED STATES - A four-year-old's death is being linked to this year's flu epidemic, which would make him the 21st under-18 to have died from the illness this flu season.  The death of Hunter Ewert, 4, of Boardman, Ohio, comes as flu vaccine stocks are put under increasing pressure by people now rushing to protect themselves from the illness.  The Ohio Health Department is investigating whether influenza caused the death of Hunter, who was discovered dead on Saturday, it was announced today.  He was found unresponsive in his parents bed after joining them on Friday night complaining of a sore throat and fever.   'The doctors at the hospital said his lungs filling up would have happened very quickly and the only way they would have been able to catch it was by doing an x-ray every hour," Shannon Ewert told wytv.com.  'At some point during the night, he made his way from his bedroom to ours. It appears he crawled into our bed and collapsed face down,' Mrs Ewert, who is a nurse, told the broadcaster.  

Victims: 20 children have been killed in the flu epidemic this year. More than 3,500 people have
now been hospitalized in the epidemic since October 2012.

She attempted to perform CPR but couldn't save her son.  'I am glad he came into our bed and did not die in his bed alone,' Ewert said.  Further tests will be carried out to determine whether he died from the flu.  If they are positive, he will be the 21st child fatality - one of the highest death tolls on record.  The child victims of the epidemic also include a 6-year-old girl from Maine, a 15-year Michigan school-band star, and a six-foot-four Texas high school senior Max Schwolert, who grew sick in Wisconsin while visiting his grandparents for the holidays.  It is one of the worst pediatric death tolls since the government began keeping track of flu among children in 2004.  The youngest victim is believed to be a 2 month-old baby from Delaware.   Tributes have been paid to the victims by families, friends and school teachers shocked and saddened by how the ferocious nature of this year's outbreak has claimed the lives of so many young and healthy children.  Avery Lane, a healthy first-grader at Benton Elementary School, Maine, was just six years old when she died from the illness last month.  She was described as a 'little angel' by relatives on Facebook and her grandmother Pam Souzer said she was 'very kind and very loving'  Principal Suanne Giorgetti sent a letter to parents that said the school had 'experienced the unthinkable' last month.  Her family have now set up a fund supporting the Somerset Animal Shelter called 'Avery's Kitties' in her honor. Avery loved the animals and had a collection of stuffed cat toys.  

Upwards trend: Google Flu Trends are monitoring
the increase of the illness and the cities reporting
high levels of outbreak.

'Avery's favorite stuffed kitty was named China. When she got the little stuffed cat. She asked my sister to read the tag "Made in China" ...Avery thought China was the perfect name,' her mother Tabitha Souzer wrote on Facebook.  'How she loved that stuffed kitty. This has helped our family knowing Avery is being remembered in a way that would bring a bigger smile to her sweet face.'  Tomorrow in Fenton, Michigan, a funeral will be held for Joshua Polehna, a 15-year-old freshman at Lake Fenton High School with a passion for the school's marching band, track and robotics. 'He was always caring and polite and always thinking about others,” Dave Polehna, Josh’s father told Michigan Live.  'Like any kid, he liked video games. He was in track (a hurdler) and did baseball. He was in the percussion section in the marching band. He worked hard and was very proud of that.'  'Every teacher that had him…they said he was a joy to have in class, absolute joy to be around and always made you smile.'  According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, many states may have seen the peak of the flu epidemic for this year but others are yet to suffer the worst.  In its latest briefing, which covers the week up until January 5, it found 24 states were reporting high levels of flu.   That number was down from the 29 states reporting a high level of outbreak over Christmas but seven unaffected states were dragged into the epidemic for the first time.   Within states, the illness is also becoming more widespread. - Daily Mail.  

WATCH: D.C. pharmacy says flu shots are running out.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Welcome To Flu Country - 47 States Now Reporting "Widespread" Infection, CDC Indicates That The Outbreak "Likely To Last For Several More Weeks"!

January 11, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Flu activity is now considered "widespread" in 47 states, according to the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released this morning. Flu activity is considered "high" in 24 states and "moderate" in 16 states. Five states with "low" flu activity are Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Idaho and Alaska, and five states with "minimal" flu activity are California, Kentucky, Maine, Connecticut and Montana. However, ABC News reported that there were five fewer states with "high" flu activity in this week's CDC report (which includes flu activity from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5) compared to the one from the end of December.

"It may be decreasing in some areas, but that's hard to predict," Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, said Friday morning, as reported by ABC News. "Trends only in the next week or two will show whether we have in fact crossed the peak." The findings also show that deaths from pneumonia and flu are "slightly above the epidemic threshold," with 7.3 percent of all deaths occurring during that week-long period being caused by flu or pneumonia. Since Oct. 1, there have been 3,710 people hospitalized because of the flu. According to the new report, the proportion of people going to the doctor for flu-like illness from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5 was 4.3 percent, which is higher than normal. There were two deaths in kids from flu or pneumonia during this period, bringing the total number of kids' deaths from flu or pneumonia to 20 so far this flu season, according to the CDC report. CNN reported that the number of adult deaths from flu is not officially tallied by the CDC. As anyone who's ever gotten it can attest, flu manifests with fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose and fatigue. Even though the symptoms are unpleasant, the flu is generally not dangerous to most healthy people, who will recover within two weeks, the CDC reported. However, complications can occur -- like pneumonia, bronchitis or other infections. People who are at an increased risk for this include pregnant women, children, elderly people, and people who have other pre-existing conditions. The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu shot every year to be protected from the flu, particularly people in high-risk groups. (However, some people should not get a flu shot, including people allergic to eggs and people who have had Guillain–Barré Syndrome; for more information on who should or shouldn't get the flu shot, click here.)

USA Today reported that the effectiveness of this year's flu vaccine is at 62 percent. This year's flu season is one of the earliest in the U.S. over the last 10 years, Reuters reported. A Gallup report also released today seems to reflect this trend, with 3.2 percent of people in the U.S. saying in December that they had the flu the day before. Gallup researchers noted that this percentage is typically not seen until February, and is a higher percentage for December since Gallup started tracking this in 2008. And not only is it earlier than usual, it's more severe than usual, especially compared to last year's mild flu season. "In the past 10 years we have seen just two or three like" this year's flu season, CDC's Tom Skinner told the New York Daily News.
Last week, the city of Boston declared a "public health emergency" due to emergency rooms being packed with flu patients there, the Boston Globe reported. Flu is so severe in one Oklahoma school district that it even canceled classes today because a quarter of the student body had been sickened with the virus, ABC News reported. And not even celebrities can avoid it -- Betty White has confirmed through her representative that she is recovering from flu, People magazine reported. Some parts of the country have already begun running out of the flu vaccine, including the city of Somerville in Massachusetts, according to the Boston Globe. Walgreens has also announced potential shortages at some of its locations around the U.S., NBC News reported. Reuters reported yesterday that four out of six of the Fluzone flu vaccine formulations produced by Sanofi SA have already sold out. There are also some shortages of the children's version of Tamiflu (a liquid version made for kids). - Huffington Post.

WATCH: Flu Outbreak: 47 States Now Reporting 'Widespread' Activity.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Flu Epidemic In United States - 44 States Report Widespread Flu Activity, Boston Declared A Public Health Emergency, FDA Urges Flu Vaccine!

January 10, 2013 - UNITED STATES - A nationwide rise in flu activity has Americans on edge. As of Wednesday, 44 U.S. states are declaring widespread flu activity, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reported, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added that the percentage of Americans going to the hospital has doubled within the past month. Boston, a major Northeast city with a population of at least 600,000 people, declared a public health emergency on Wednesday after confirming 700 cases -- by this time last year there were only 70 confirmed influenza infections in the city. Hospitals in Chicago are seeing so many flu patients that several had to turn away ambulances.

One Pennsylanvia Hospital, Lehigh Valley Hospital, had to set up tents outside its emergency room to deal with the extremely busy flu season. With influenza sweeping the country, the Food and Drug Administration is reminding everyone 6 months and older to get a flu shot, warning the disease could be especially dangerous for kids. "Everyone seems to know that the elderly are particularly vulnerable, but so too are children," Dr. William Rodriguez, a pediatrician at the FDA said in a statement Wednesday. "Severe complications are most common in children under age 2." In the last 10 flu seasons, between 43 and 153 children have died from flu in the United States, according to Rodriguez, with an average of 20,000 children under 5 hospitalized each year. The CDC's most recent flu report, which measured disease activity for the week of Dec. 23 through Dec. 29, shows 18 children have already died. The agency updates the public on U.S. flu activity every Friday. The CDC has said there's "no excuse" to skip the flu shot. However LaPook reports only about 37 percent of Americans have been vaccinated this year, which is about average.

For those heeding the advice to get a flu shot this week, the FDA notes that immunization takes several weeks to take effect. While many people have been immunized in the fall, they still should be protected through the remainder of the flu season, which typically peaks in January or February. Cases, however, can continue through the spring. "This is particularly late in the flu season for very young children, because to optimize immune response, children between the ages of 6 and 35 months need two shots, four weeks apart, during their first season of vaccination," said Rodriguez. "However, even one shot provides some protection, so even now there is time to get some benefit." It is true that the flu shot does not guarantee protection against the virus -- the vaccine has been about 60 to 70 percent effective in recent years, according to LaPook. Dr. William Shaffner, an infectious disease researcher at Vanderbilt University who served on the committee that decided what went into the vaccine, told the CBS Evening News Wednesday that this year's shot is well-matched to most of the strains out there. However, "There is an influenza B strain that's out there, an additional strain that's causing about 10 percent of the mischief," he said. "And that's not in the vaccine and that accounts for some of the influenza that's out there." One misconception about the shot, LaPook notes, is people will get the flu after getting vaccinated. The CDC told him that's not true, but the vaccine can cause a reaction that might cause flu-like symptoms such as aches, pains and a low-grade fever. The symptoms typically go away in a day or two. Besides vaccination, maintaining proper hygiene with everyday actions such washing hands with soap and water, avoiding close contact with sick people, keeping your hands out of your eyes, nose and mouth could reduce risk. - CBS News.

WATCH: Not too late to get flu vaccine, FDA urges.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Flu Epidemic In United States - Thousands Hospitalized; 41 States Reported Cases; 18 Children Dead Of Complications; And It's Going To Get Worse!

January 06, 2013 - UNITED STATES - The U.S. has been hit with a particularly aggressive early flu season this year with widespread reports of the illness across the country, hospitalizing 2,257 people and leaving 18 children dead before the end of 2012. And health officials say the numbers haven't even peaked yet. 'I think we're still accelerating,' Tom Skinner, a Center for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman, told reporters.

Viral: An early and hard-hitting flu season has swept America leaving thousands hospitalized.

The latest figures from the CDC show 29 states and New York City reporting high levels of flu activity, up from 16 states and New York City just one week prior. Overall, 41 states reported cases. 'It’s about five weeks ahead of the average flu season,' said Lyn Finelli, lead of the surveillance and response team that monitors influenza for the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. 'We haven’t seen such an early season since 2003 to 2004.' During that flu season, Joe Lastinger's daughter Emily, 3, died only five days after coming down with the flu in late January. 'That was the first really bad season for children in a while,' said Lastinger, 40. 'For whatever reason that's not well understood, it affected her and it killed her.' In that season, illnesses peaked in early to mid-December, with flu-related pneumonia and deaths peaking in early January. That season was considered a 'moderately severe' season for flu, and ended in mid-February. It's still too early to tell how bad this year's flu season will get.

While the CDC is waiting for more time to pass before classifying the season, Google Flu Trends has already listed it as 'intense' by monitoring flu activity around the world based on internet search terms. And roughly 4 per cent of users on Flu Near You, a real-time tracking tool gaining about 100 new participants per week, say they're experiencing symptoms. 'That's huge,' John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital Boston, told NBC News. 'Last year, we never got near this.' Brownstein is one of the founders of Flu Near You, a project, coordinated by Children’s Hospital Boston, the Skoll Global Threats Fund and the American Public Health Association. The project has been a great tool for generating immediate data about the ongoing flu season. 'It’s what we call ‘nowcasting,'' Brownstein said. 'It’s a more up-to-date view.' CDC data can be as much as two weeks behind real-time reports.

Brownstein's data shows cough is this year's most frequently reported symptom at 19 per cent, ahead of sore throat at 16 per cent, fatigue at 15 per cent, headache at 14 per cent, body ache at 10 per cent, and fever at 7 per cent. Three our of four people reporting flu symptoms had not been vaccinated. While Brownstein's data is more immediate, he cautioned against using it as an accurate measure of vaccine's effectiveness because of variables in reporting. During the 2010-2011 flu season, the CDC reports vaccine's were effective four about 60 percent for all age groups combined. While there were then reports of vaccinated people developing laboratory-confirmed flu strains, CDC officials said it's not yet possible to know if this year's trends match up though they are 'watching the situation closely.' Those officials also noted that this year's vaccines seem to be a good match for the two strains of influenza A and one of influenza B circulating. The H3N2 strain is dominant this year, and it can cause more serious illnesses. Flu seasons vary widely in severity with some year's totaling up to 200,000 hospitalized and between 3,000 to 49,000 dead. About 127 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed this year from the 15 million doses produced for this season. - Daily Mail.

WATCH: CDC - 41 states have widespread flu activity.