CDC Announces a Huge Rise in the Estimated Pediatric Death Toll From Swine Flu
Categories: Safety, In The News
The new numbers are startling: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced at a recent press conference that in the past six months, an estimated 540 children have died in the U.S. from the H1N1 virus, known as swine flu. Just days ago, the estimate stood at just 129 children.
How did the numbers change so dramatically?
A revised method of estimating swine flu deaths has "gone beyond lab-confirmed cases" to "provide a bigger picture," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, at the press conference. The CDC is "finally able to update the public about how big a toll this pandemic is taking," she said. "We feel comfortable these are appropriate estimates."
In addition to the 540 deaths, the CDC now estimates that 36,000 children have been hospitalized with H1N1 during the first six months of the pandemic. "I am expecting all these numbers, unfortunately, to continue to rise," Schuchat said, as flu season continues throughout the winter.The CDC is urging parents to have their children vaccinated as soon as possible. But some parents remain concerned about the vaccine's safety. Schuchat said the CDC is confident that the vaccine is safe, but she conceded that some pediatricians are wary about offering it.
"Some individual providers are skeptical," she said, but the CDC can't say how many. They have no data on the percentage of doctors around the country opting not to offer the vaccine.
Schuchat also addressed the worry facing many other parents across the country -- vaccine shortages. Availability varies around the country, though most communities are offering the vaccine to kids and those with underlying medical conditions that make them especially vulnerable.
Again, no hard numbers about availability in specific communities, but "more vaccine is being ordered, delivered and used every day," she said. "Access and convenience, ease of getting vaccinated will improve" throughout the country in the coming weeks.
Related: Court Rules West Virginia Mom Must Vaccinate Her Child; More on Health & Safety
How did the numbers change so dramatically?
A revised method of estimating swine flu deaths has "gone beyond lab-confirmed cases" to "provide a bigger picture," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, at the press conference. The CDC is "finally able to update the public about how big a toll this pandemic is taking," she said. "We feel comfortable these are appropriate estimates."
In addition to the 540 deaths, the CDC now estimates that 36,000 children have been hospitalized with H1N1 during the first six months of the pandemic. "I am expecting all these numbers, unfortunately, to continue to rise," Schuchat said, as flu season continues throughout the winter.The CDC is urging parents to have their children vaccinated as soon as possible. But some parents remain concerned about the vaccine's safety. Schuchat said the CDC is confident that the vaccine is safe, but she conceded that some pediatricians are wary about offering it.
"Some individual providers are skeptical," she said, but the CDC can't say how many. They have no data on the percentage of doctors around the country opting not to offer the vaccine.
Schuchat also addressed the worry facing many other parents across the country -- vaccine shortages. Availability varies around the country, though most communities are offering the vaccine to kids and those with underlying medical conditions that make them especially vulnerable.
Again, no hard numbers about availability in specific communities, but "more vaccine is being ordered, delivered and used every day," she said. "Access and convenience, ease of getting vaccinated will improve" throughout the country in the coming weeks.
Related: Court Rules West Virginia Mom Must Vaccinate Her Child; More on Health & Safety
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
LS 11-30-2009 @ 4:06PM
I find it interesting that the CDC continues to call this an "epidemic" and a "pandemic", and yet, everyone that I've talked to that has "had" H1N1, doesn't know for sure that they had it, since NOBODY has been swabbed/tested. Even after they've asked.
I guess that's what they mean by "gone beyond lab-confirmed cases."
Apparently, according to what I've heard (and granted, this is just one mom talking wiht other moms)... if you're sneezing or have a fever, you have H1N1. They don't even bother to look for another cause. They just write up a Tamiflu 'script and send you on your way.
Way to be scientific. Way to cause a massive panic without anything to back it up. Oh, yeah. That's how it's done now.
Reply
Don 12-01-2009 @ 1:05PM
The CDC changed the way it was tracking the h1n1 virus to include all viruses.
"Pneumonia and Influenza Hospitalization and Death Tracking:
This new system was implemented on August 30, 2009, and replaces the weekly report of laboratory confirmed 2009 H1N1-related hospitalizations and deaths that began in April 2009. Jurisdictions can now report to CDC counts of hospitalizations and deaths resulting from all types or subtypes of influenza, not just those from 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. To allow jurisdictions to implement the new case definition, counts were reset to zero on August 30, 2009. From August 30 – November 21, 2009, 29,348 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and 1,224 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated deaths were reported to CDC. CDC will continue to use its traditional surveillance systems to track the progress of the 2009-10 influenza season".
So if you have the flu a doctor is going to treat you the same as everyone else whether it be H1N1 or any other type of flu.
If you have a child under the age of four then you should be concerned about the H1N1 flu, considering the H1N1 is largely responsible for most of the influenza related deaths this year.
You should consider going to the CDC website and reading up on a lot of the information available.