​Nebraska Influenza 2015-16

[Ronan Kelly]

Nebraska flu death raises awareness

Posted: Feb 26, 2016 11:15 PM EST
Updated: Feb 27, 2016 7:46 PM EST




Posted By: Nicole Cousins

ncousins@klkntv.com

The death of a Nebraska child has a lot of people paying attention to the flu.

The young child was from northeastern Nebraska, health experts say the child did have other respiratory issues as well, but they're considering the death flu?related.
...
http://www.klkntv.com/story/31330815/nebraska-flu-death-raises-awareness

 

[Emily]

http://www.ktiv.com/story/31321070/2...heast-nebraska

Flu kills child from northeast Nebraska




LINCOLN, NE (SUBMITTED) - The first flu-related death so far this season was reported to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. It was a young child in the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department area (Burt, Cuming, Madison and Stanton counties) who also spent time in the Three Rivers Public Health Department area (Dodge, Saunders and Washington counties).
“Children can be more susceptible to complications and this is a sad reminder of the potential seriousness of flu infections. Our thoughts are with the family," said Dr. Tom Safranek, State Epidemiologist for DHHS.
While test results showed that a seasonal flu virus contributed to the death, the child also tested positive for several other respiratory viruses...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Link to Weekly Flu Report: http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/Report.pdf

Weekly Influenza Report 2015-16 Influenza Season, Week 8
(All data are preliminary and may change as more reports are received.

Nebraska Synopsis for Surveillance Week February 21st-27th, 2016
March 4, 2016 Please visit http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/influenza for more influenza information.
Indicators from Nebraska?s public health influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI*)
state tracking systems (sentinel physician visits, emergency department visits,
school absenteeism and influenza hospitalizations) show influenza activity is
increasing across the state (?WIDESPREAD?). There were zero reports of
influenza-associated outbreaks in long-term care facilities and one school closure
was reported for the surveillance week. One pediatric seasonal influenzaassociated
death has been reported for the season.
...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Weekly Influenza Report 2015-16 Influenza Season, Week 10
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/Report.pdf

Nebraska Synopsis for Surveillance Week March 6th-12th, 2016
March 18, 2016 Please visit http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/influenza for more influenza information.
Indicators from Nebraska?s public health influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI*) state tracking
systems (laboratory testing, sentinel physician visits, emergency department visits and
influenza hospitalizations) show influenza continues to circulate across the state
(?WIDESPREAD?). There were zero reports of influenza-associated outbreaks in long-term
care facilities or schools during the last surveillance week. One pediatric influenza-associated
death has been reported for the season.
...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Weekly Influenza Report 2015-16 Influenza Season, Week 11
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/Report.pdf

Nebraska Synopsis for Surveillance Week March 13th-19th, 2016
March 24, 2016 Please visit http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/influenza for more influenza information.
Indicators from Nebraska?s public health influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI*) state tracking
systems (laboratory testing, sentinel physician visits, emergency department visits and
influenza hospitalizations) show influenza continues to circulate across the state
(?WIDESPREAD?). There were zero reports of influenza-associated outbreaks in long-term
care facilities or schools during the last surveillance week. One pediatric and 2 adult influenzaassociated
deaths have been reported for the season.
Because influenza is so unpredictable, clinicians need to remain vigilant and consider influenza
as a diagnostic possibility. Rapid in-office flu testing is indicated in persons with influenza-like
illness (fever with cough or sore throat). Influenza vaccine continues to be recommended in all
persons over the age of 6 months.
...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Weekly Influenza Report 2015-16 Influenza Season, Week 12
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/Report.pdf

Nebraska Synopsis for Surveillance Week March 20th-26th, 2016
April 1, 2016 Please visit http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/influenza for more influenza information.
Indicators from Nebraska?s public health influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI*) state tracking
systems (laboratory testing, sentinel physician visits, emergency department visits and
influenza hospitalizations) show influenza continues to circulate widely across the state
(?WIDESPREAD?). There was 1 report of an influenza-associated outbreaks in a long-term
care facilities during the last surveillance week. One pediatric and 3 adult influenza-associated
deaths have been reported for the season.
...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Flu had later arrival but milder, with nearly 80 less deaths compared to last season


Posted: Friday, April 15, 2016 12:30 am
By Rick Ruggles / World-Herald staff writer
... Statewide, as of late March, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services had reported 1,982 positive rapid flu tests in doctors? offices and clinics, compared with 9,844 last season. Influenza doesn?t have to be formally reported to authorities in Nebraska and Iowa, so the numbers aren?t precise. Further, doctors often treat the illness without testing for it.
The state said only five deaths have been attributable to flu, down from 84 last season and 16 in 2013-14.
Douglas County also is reporting five flu-related deaths, while the state?s statistics reflect just two flu deaths in Douglas County. A state health department spokeswoman, Leah Bucco-White, said the county uses death certificates to track flu deaths while the state uses lab confirmation, leading to a discrepancy.
...
http://www.livewellnebraska.com/hea...cle_0b0a0b43-0d57-5e44-a14b-8e232326e540.html

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Weekly Influenza Report 2015-16 Influenza Season, Week 15
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/Report.pdf

Nebraska Synopsis for Surveillance Week April 10th-16th, 2016
April 22, 2016 Please visit http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/influenza for more influenza information.
Indicators from Nebraska?s public health influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI*) state tracking
systems (laboratory testing, sentinel physician visits, emergency department visits and
influenza hospitalizations) show influenza continues to circulate widely across the state
(?WIDESPREAD?). There was 1 report of an influenza-associated outbreak in a long-term care
facility during the last surveillance week. One pediatric and 7 adult influenza-associated deaths
have been reported for the season.
...
 Influenza Laboratory Surveillance: Of the 90 laboratories tracking influenza, 88 reported
data for the past week. Of the 1,186 influenza diagnostic tests reported, 223 (18.8%) were
positive, with 15.26% (n=181) positive for influenza A and 3.54% (n=42) positive for
influenza B. The total number of tests performed decreased by 12% and the total number of
positive tests decreased by 17%. The predominant circulating strain is influenza A 2009
H1N1.
 Sentinel Provider Surveillance: 11 of the 17 sentinel-site physician offices in Nebraska
which are designated to track ILI reported data for the surveillance week. Of 1,915 total
patient visits reported, 15 (0.78%) met ILI criteria a decrease from 0.8% the previous week.
 Emergency Department (ED) Syndromic Surveillance: No data is available this week.
 Inpatient Surveillance: Of the 4,475 total admissions reported for this week, 194 (4.34%)
were for ILI a decrease from 4.74% the previous week.
...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Nebraska Synopsis for Surveillance Week April 17th-23rd, 2016
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/Report.pdf

 Influenza Laboratory Surveillance: Of the 90 laboratories tracking influenza, 87 reported
data for the past week. Of the 2,954 influenza diagnostic tests reported, 158 (17.5%) were
positive, with 13.18% (n=119) positive for influenza A and 4.32% (n=39) positive for
influenza B. The total number of tests performed decreased by 24% and the total number of
positive tests decreased by 29%. The predominant circulating strain is influenza A 2009
H1N1.
 Sentinel Provider Surveillance: 12 of the 17 sentinel-site physician offices in Nebraska
which are designated to track ILI reported data for the surveillance week. Of 2,112 total
patient visits reported, 12 (0.57%) met ILI criteria similar to 0.5% the previous week.
 Emergency Department (ED) Syndromic Surveillance: No data is available this week.
 Inpatient Surveillance: Of the 5,176 total admissions reported for this week, 161 (3.11%)
were for ILI a decrease from 4.33% the previous week.
...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Nebraska Synopsis for Surveillance Week May 1st-7th, 2016
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/Report.pdf


May 13, 2016 Please visit http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/influenza for more influenza information.
Indicators from Nebraska?s public health influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI*) state tracking
systems (laboratory testing, sentinel physician visits, emergency department visits and
influenza hospitalizations) show while flu activity has peaked for this season (week ending April
2nd), some areas of the state are still experiencing some flu activity and an increasing
proportion of influenza B viruses continue to be detected. NE is at the ?LOCAL? level and flu
season is not over. There were 2 reports of influenza-associated outbreaks in long-term care
facilities during the last surveillance week. One pediatric and 13 adult influenza-associated
deaths have been reported for the season (ages ranging from 2 to 102).

 Influenza Laboratory Surveillance: Of the 90 laboratories tracking influenza, 90 reported
data for the past week. Of the 568 influenza diagnostic tests reported, 58 (10.21%) were
positive, with 6.16% (n=35) positive for influenza A and 4.05% (n=23) positive for influenza
B. The total number of tests performed decreased by 15% and the total number of positive
tests decreased by 21%. Influenza A 2009 H1N1 and influenza B are circulating at similar
levels at this time.
 Sentinel Provider Surveillance: 12 of the 17 sentinel-site physician offices in Nebraska
which are designated to track ILI reported data for the surveillance week. Of 2,054 total
patient visits reported, 11 (0.54%) met ILI criteria a decrease from 0.60% the previous
week.
 Emergency Department (ED) Syndromic Surveillance: No data is available this week.
 Inpatient Surveillance: Of the 3,494 total admissions reported for this week, 72 (2.06%)
were for ILI a decrease from 2.75% the previous week
...