Italy - Influenza A/H1N1 - Situation Update as for 22 December 2009 - Updated at 17.00 Hours CEST (Min Health, edited) - CASES: ILI (Cum.) 3,794,000, Hospitalized 832, in ICU 448, Deaths (Cum.) 187
Italy - Influenza A/H1N1 - Situation Update as for 22 December 2009 - Updated at 17.00 Hours CEST (Min Health, edited) - CASES: ILI (Cum.) 3,794,000, Hospitalized 832, in ICU 448, Deaths (Cum.) 187
Influenza A/H1N1 - Situation Update as for 22 December 2009 - Updated at 17.00 Hours CEST (Min Health, edited)
[Source RTF Document (in Italian):
LINK. Edited. Warning: Google Machine Translation.]
Press Release No 613 - 22 December 2009 - Ministry of Health - PRESS OFFICE
Updates
- The estimated new cases of the flu syndrome in the 50th week (December 7 to 13) were 132,000, for a total of 3,777,000 cases from 19 October when it began monitoring Influnet current season.
- Determined the number of accesses to the emergency room and that of hospitalizations for acute respiratory syndrome, for all age groups.
- Cases which have necessitated ventilatory support at 22 December: 448
- Percentage of cases that require respiratory assistance in relation to the total of patients: 0.012
- In the 50th week (December 7 to 13) were administered 35,305 doses. Start of the vaccination campaign, a total of 749,842 first doses were administered, and 12,257 second doses
- A total of 7,423,851 doses of vaccine distributed. By the end of December it will reach about 10 million doses.
- Total estimated cases of influenza since the beginning of the pandemic at 22 December: 3,777,000
- Total deaths related to the new influenza A/H1N1 to 22 December: 187
- Percentage of victims in relation to the total of patients with new influenza A: 0.0050 percent
Epidemic surveillance
Cases and incidence
Thursday, December 17th were released weekly updates about the incidence of the flu syndrome in week 50.
The estimated new cases of the flu syndrome in the 50th week is 132,000, for a total of 3,777,000 cases from the beginning of the surveillance Influnet (43 weeks: 19-25 October). For a total count since last May, these should be added about 17,000 cases reported previously by other surveillance systems for
a total of 3,794,000 cases.
The total value of the impact of the flu syndrome in week 50 is equal to 2.20 cases per thousand assisted, down to the value observed in the previous week (3.78 cases per thousand power). The regions where in week 50 has the highest number of cases in the population under observation are Sardinia with an incidence of 1.1 per cent, Marche (0.5%), Autonomous Province of Trento (0.3%) .
The age group most affected is always the pediatric (0-14 years), with an incidence equal to 5.10 cases per thousand assisted (6.62 per thousand in the range of younger children of 0-4 years and 4 32 per thousand in the range 5-14 years).
There is a decline in the incidence in each age group, although more marked in the pediatric fields in which
the incidence has almost halved
Cases that require respiratory assistance
The regions have reported so far at the Ministry of
832 hospital admissions for severe cases of influenza, of which 448 have required ventilatory support: a quota of 0,012 percent of the estimated total of people who contract the new flu A.
Victims related to influenza A
The percentage of victims related to influenza A has been updated compared to the total number of cases estimated by Influnet and is equal to 0.0050 percent of patients, compared with 0.2 percent of the victims related to the normal flu. Must be considered that the percentage of victims being calculated considering the clinical cases reported to the surveillance system, because these are most likely underestimated, the value might be even lower than the estimate above.
At 17.00 hours of December 22, the overall figure of deaths following a reclassification, still in work, by the regions is equal to 187.
This number includes cases for which the regional health authorities have confirmed the finding of infection by the new A/H1N1.
Situation in Italy
Total casualties 187
- Region
- Abruzzi 3
- Basilicata 1
- Calabria 14
- Campania 47
- Emilia Romagna 12
- Friuli Venezia Giulia 3
- Lazio 13
- Liguria 3
- Lombardy 12
- Marches 3
- Molise 4
- Piedmont 12
- Puglia 29
- Sicily 13
- Tuscany 4
- Umbria 3
- Veneto 9
- P.a. Bolzano 1
- P.a. Trent 1
Situation in Europe (source ECDC)
Total casualties in 1671
in
- Great Britain 298
- Spain 232
- France 200
World situation (source ECDC)
Total victims 12121
of which:
- United States of America 2038
- Brazil 1632
- Mexico 780
- Argentina 617
Access to emergency
The network of sentinel emergency rooms reported that in the 50th week (December 7 to 13), 5.4% of all persons who have turned to the emergency room was visited by acute respiratory syndrome. Of these, 24% had been hospitalized
And specified the number of accesses to the emergency room and that of hospitalizations for acute respiratory syndrome, for all age groups. The analysis of national data is based on information from 52 of the 59 emergency room that joined the surveillance.
While reflecting the different modes of access to the emergency room, the system can be readily detected the trend of accesses for respiratory syndrome, an indirect indicator of increased activity of influenza viruses.
Vaccination of the population
In the 50th week (December 7 to 13) were administered 35,305 doses. Start of the vaccination campaign, were administered a total for the categories as priorities for the first phase of vaccination, first 749,842 second doses and 12,257 doses.
Health professionals, social and health that have vaccinated 156,309, equal to 15% of the total.
Women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy were administered 21,376 doses (equal to 11% of total), people aged between 6 months and 65 years with risk conditions were administered 470,514 doses (11%) while children 1378 born preterm doses (7%).
Some regions have already begun to vaccinate children and young adults between 6 months and 17 years without risk conditions (9,773 doses) and the holders of at least one of the conditions of risk over the age of 65 years (6,305 doses).
Vaccine distribution
Ended on 8 December, the seventh deployment to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces of pandemic vaccines. The doses delivered to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces as of 12 October were 7,423,851. By the end of December it will reach about 10 million doses.
Government Actions
Updates
- 20 November 2009: it was disseminated to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces Ministerial Circular "Distribution antiviral drugs to assist Territorial reaffirming the guidance for the administration of antiviral drugs and methods of distribution on the territory of the competent local firms .
- 20 November 2009: it was disseminated to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces the ministerial circular "Supervision of hospitalizations, the serious and complicated and deaths of New Avian influenza virus A (H1N1) viruses and detection of vaccine coverage for the pandemic vaccine," updating the reporting form and procedures for its transmission.
Background
The World Health Organization on 11 June 2009 has declared a state of pandemic influenza with the transition to the phase of maximum alert.
The infection is caused by a new influenza virus H1N1 that has spread from Mexico in March 2009 from around the world.
The government immediately took all measures to counter the spread of new influenza A and protect the health of citizens.
The Ministry has set April 24 a special Crisis Unit headed by Deputy Ferruccio Fazio. Here are the main actions:
Control and containment stage
In the first phase of the spread of the disease were applied to all measures of infection control and containment measures to limit the spread of the virus. This avoided in our country a first wave of summer 2009 epidemic first hand that occurred in other European countries. Among the preventive measures more effective, please note the early identification of cases in travelers from affected areas, prophylaxis of their close contacts, promotion of hygiene rules and protective equipment such as hand washing.
Vaccination of the population
The Government has set up a vaccination strategy to cope with the new wave of epidemic influenza A (H1N1) in place in the 2009-2010 influenza season and eradicate the epidemic of new virus A (H1N1) in our country. E 'planned vaccination of 40% of the Italian population from the employees of essential services like health care personnel, and groups at risk of complications (children and adults with chronic diseases in the age group 6 months to 64 years, women pregnancy in the second and third quarter). E 'active monitoring of the vaccination campaign.
Stocks of antivirals
The Ministry has forty million doses of antiviral drugs, including three in the form of the active powder which, as they have gradually become encapsulated Military Chemical Pharmaceutical Institute in Florence, are distributed to the regions. The Ministry has also issued specific recommendations for proper use of antivirals.
Management of severe cases
The Ministry has provided a first guide to operators in the management of serious and complicated by new influenza virus A (H1N1) and promoted by the regions and autonomous provinces to identify the centers that make for prospective patients suffering from acute respiratory failure. It also defines the criteria for the management of patients, particularly regarding access to the ICU and the next location within the intensive care centers that make up regional networks.
Epidemic surveillance
Starting from 19 October 2009, the influenza surveillance system is based on Influnet, which collects the cases of the network of sentinel physicians reported among its clients as well as data on viruses circulating the network of accredited laboratories. The ISS also conducts random confirmation of clinical cases of serious and deepening virologic to monitor the possible emergence of resistance to antiviral drugs and record any changes in the pandemic virus.
The Ministry also conducts monitoring of hospitalized cases, of serious and deaths.
Sentinel surveillance of access to Emergency
The Ministry of Higher Health Institute have launched in collaboration with the Regional Monitoring of accesses to a specific emergency room. The data will be transmitted on a weekly basis.
Pharmacovigilance
Part of action coordinated by the crisis, the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA) has prepared a National Plan of Pharmacovigilance for monitoring the safety of pandemic vaccines and antivirals. The system has been running since October.
International Epidemiological updates
The World Health Organization November 20 reported that in Norway there was a mutation of the virus in some samples of the new AH1N1 influenza virus isolated in three patients, of whom two died. The mutation is charged with the hemagglutinin (viral protein surface) of the new influenza virus A/H1N1, and causes the substitution of a single amino acid (a glycine instead of aspartic acid). The same mutation was observed in sporadic cases, since last April, in several countries around the world both in patients with severe pneumonia and patients with benign course of disease. Following these reports, the National Institute of Health has reassessed the sequences of more than 100 strains identified by as many patients diagnosed in recent months in various Italian regions. The mutation has been found so far in only one patient suffering from a severe form of pneumonia resolved following treatment with ECMO performed in intensive care. None of the other patients examined, including those with serious or life-threatening events, showed that mutation. The Italian data confirmed that the mutation in question is not to be currently predominant in cases of serious or deadly new flu in addition, the same mutation has a sporadic and does not seem at this stage in the process of diffusion.
Read more
All information on government, the questions and answers, rules and documentation for operators on
www.ministerosalute.it, games and interactive tests to understand and better combat the virus A/H1N1al site
www.fermailvirus . com.
Information also via phone by calling the call center 1500 of the Ministry, available every day of the week, from 8.00 to 18.00.
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