WI: Milwaukee flu hospitalizations up significantly from last year

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.jsonline.com/news/health/...234910191.html

Milwaukee flu hospitalizations up significantly from last year
Many of hospitalized patients were young and middle-aged adults
By Karen Herzog of the Journal Sentinel
Dec. 7, 2013 5:23 p.m.


Two months into the flu season, Milwaukee already has reported more than five times the number of influenza-related hospitalizations as last year. More than half of those people did not get a flu shot, according to a city health department analysis released late Friday.

Twenty-three people in the city have been hospitalized with the flu so far this year, compared with just four this time last year. That count represents about half of all flu hospitalizations reported statewide and marks an increase from late November, when 15 flu-related hospitalizations were reported statewide and about half were in Milwaukee County...

[Shiloh]

Re: WI: Milwaukee flu hospitalizations up significantly from last year

Source: http://www.jsonline.com/news/health/...239825851.html

Flu hitting younger adults hardest in Milwaukee
By Karen Herzog of the Journal Sentinel
Jan. 13, 2014 4:00 p.m.

Flu-related hospitalizations of young and middle-aged adults this flu season are their highest since the 2009 swine flu pandemic, local public health officials say.

Usually, seasonal flu hits young children and the elderly the hardest.

Not this season.

Hospitalizations among the 19-to-49 and 50-to-64 age groups are up 40% over a year ago, Paul Biedrzycki, director of Disease Control & Environmental Health for the Milwaukee Health Department, said last week.

That's in contrast to the hospitalization rate for those over age 65, which is 63% lower than a year ago, he said...

[NS1]

Re: WI: Milwaukee flu hospitalizations up significantly from last year

News story
<table align="center" border="0px" cellpadding="2px" cellspacing="0px" style="background-color: #ffe9c4; border-color: darkred; border-radius: 4px; border-style: ridge; border-width: 12px; box-shadow: 0 5px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.8); padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 2px; width: 78%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="float: center;"><td style="font-size: 140%; font-weight: bold;">Milwaukee flu hospitalizations up significantly from last year</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center;"><td style="font-size: 90%;">Many of hospitalized patients were young and middle-aged adults
</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 60%;"><td>By Karen Herzog</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 60%;"><td><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/" target="_blank">Journal Sentinel</a> Dec. 7, 2013</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center;">
<td align="center" style="vertical-align: middle; width: 85%;"><div style="background-color: navajowhite; border-bottom-left-radius: 20px; border-bottom-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border: 2px solid maroon; color: black; line-height: 18px; padding: 10px; text-align: center; width: 83%;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 100%;">'It is not too late to get a flu shot, and public health officials are strongly urging vaccination as soon as possible, considering 56% of those hospitalized with flu-related illness to date were not vaccinated.

"Clearly this early data suggests that unvaccinated individuals with health conditions such as asthma and diabetes may be at increased risk for flu complication this season," Biedrzycki said.'

</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>

[NS1]

Re: WI: Milwaukee flu hospitalizations up significantly from last year

News story
<table align="center" border="0px" cellpadding="2px" cellspacing="0px" style="background-color: #ffe9c4; border-color: darkred; border-radius: 4px; border-style: ridge; border-width: 12px; box-shadow: 0 5px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.8); padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 2px; width: 78&#37;;">
<tbody>
<tr style="float: center;"><td style="font-size: 140%; font-weight: bold;">Milwaukee flu hospitalizations up significantly from last year</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center;"><td style="font-size: 90%;">Many of hospitalized patients were young and middle-aged adults
</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 60%;"><td>By Karen Herzog</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 60%;"><td><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/" target="_blank">Journal Sentinel</a> Dec. 7, 2013</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center;">
<td align="center" style="vertical-align: middle; width: 85%;"><div style="background-color: navajowhite; border-bottom-left-radius: 20px; border-bottom-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border: 2px solid maroon; color: black; line-height: 18px; padding: 10px; text-align: center; width: 83%;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 100%;">'It is not too late to get a flu shot, and public health officials are strongly urging vaccination as soon as possible, considering 56% of those hospitalized with flu-related illness to date were not vaccinated.

"Clearly this early data suggests that unvaccinated individuals with health conditions such as asthma and diabetes may be at increased risk for flu complication this season," Biedrzycki said.'

</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
<tr style="float: center; font-size: 100%;"><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>

pH1N1
44% Vaccine Escape
in Hospitalised Patients
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

During a time frame when many Emergency Departments were on "divert" status, the Milwaukee Health Department has communicated that 44% of their hospitalised patients were, in fact, vaccinated.

Their immediate conclusion was to state that lack of vaccination raised risk factors?