Probable cases of swine flu rose sharply in the Milwaukee area Friday, prompting the city to close seven additional schools and launch an epidemiological investigation to learn what is propelling the increase.
Milwaukee officials put the number of probable cases in the area at 27. New probable cases also were reported in Waukesha, Racine and Rock counties, and three schools were closed in Oconomowoc.
Just 24 hours earlier, there had been only five probable cases in the entire state.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett cautioned that the increase could be the result of efficient testing technology at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin that is allowing Milwaukee to analyze cases much more quickly than in other parts of the country.
"We either have a larger onset of the disease here or we are much more efficient in identifying the disease here," the mayor said.
Health officials would not say how severe Milwaukee's H1N1 influenza cases are or how many of the patients have been hospitalized. So far, the state has not attributed any deaths to swine flu.
Barrett called Friday's increase in probable flu cases dramatic and added, "It is not inconceivable at this time that we would face a closure of many more schools or perhaps the whole district."
The mayor said he would wait to see what happens over the weekend and decide around 4 p.m. Sunday whether to add more school closings. On Friday, the total number of public schools closed in the city stood at 12 - in addition to at least two Catholic schools and several other private schools.
The schools added to Milwaukee's closure list were: Advanced Language & Academic Studies, Forest Home Avenue Elementary School, Honey Creek Continuous Progress Elementary School, Lincoln Avenue Elementary School, Kosciuszko Montessori School, Wedgewood Park International School and Milwaukee Learning Laboratory & Institute.
"We want to see what the changes are in the next 47 hours, in addition the severity of those cases, and if we are seeing an increase in hospital admissions," Barrett said. "We know we're seeing an increase in emergency department visits."
Cases in suburbs
Meanwhile, health officials identified three new probable cases of swine flu in Waukesha County, two in Racine County and one in Rock County. Sheboygan, Adams and Ozaukee counties have one probable case each. The cases in Waukesha County led to the closing of three public schools in Oconomowoc and prompted the county's top health official to urge people to avoid large gatherings.
At present, it is difficult to be sure of Wisconsin's total because the state health department is counting only seven Milwaukee County cases. This is because testing for many of the new Milwaukee cases was conducted at Children's Hospital and not the state Laboratory of Hygiene in Madison. Also, some of the cases identified at Children's Hospital may come from outside Milwaukee County.
However, it is clear that a day after having just a handful of probable swine flu cases, Wisconsin now has more than 30.
Samples from a total of 389 cases around Wisconsin have been submitted to the state hygiene lab for testing, of which 132 are still pending, state officials say.
The increase in probable cases has raised questions about the state's supply of anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and about the safety of large public gatherings.
Avoiding gatherings?
Milwaukee officials have not advised people to avoid gatherings such as sports events.
But Peter Schuler, Waukesha County's director of health and human services, advised people to stay away from large public indoor gatherings. Organizers of a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Waukesha announced Friday that they were canceling the event at the urging of county health officials. About 500 children were to participate in the Tuesday event.
None of the three afflicted Waukesha County residents has become seriously ill, but Schuler noted that swine flu is a unique virus with no known preventive vaccine.
"This flu has the potential of gaining strength, almost like a storm," he said.
As a result of the suspected swine flu case in Oconomowoc, county health officials ordered the closure of Oconomowoc High School, as well as Nature Hill and Silver Lake intermediate schools.
Schuler said the schools will remain closed until at least Friday and will not reopen without his department's approval. The middle schools were included because of commingling of students, as well as potential exposure to family members of an afflicted high schooler.
In Waukesha County, the three probable flu patients were described as an 18-year-old male student at Oconomowoc High School, an elementary school-aged child in Waukesha and a Waukesha adult around 20 years old. Officials estimated that another 40 adults and children are being tested after showing flu symptoms during doctor visits.
In Racine County, officials said two probable swine flu cases involve adults, both of whom were in isolation in their homes. They were said to have mild cases of flu. No schools were closed.
In Rock County, officials said a man who had traveled to an infected area was listed as the county's lone probable case of swine flu. Because no children were said to be infected, officials did not order the closing of any schools or day care centers.
Although states are supposed to have sufficient supplies of anti-viral drugs to be able to treat 25% of the population, Wisconsin is short of that heading into the weekend. The state has a large enough supply to treat about 7% of the population and by Sunday should have enough to treat 10%, according to Stephanie Marquis, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health Services. Marquis added that the state has access to supplies for another 11% now held by the federal government.
http://www.jsonline.com/features/health/44204922.html
Milwaukee officials put the number of probable cases in the area at 27. New probable cases also were reported in Waukesha, Racine and Rock counties, and three schools were closed in Oconomowoc.
Just 24 hours earlier, there had been only five probable cases in the entire state.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett cautioned that the increase could be the result of efficient testing technology at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin that is allowing Milwaukee to analyze cases much more quickly than in other parts of the country.
"We either have a larger onset of the disease here or we are much more efficient in identifying the disease here," the mayor said.
Health officials would not say how severe Milwaukee's H1N1 influenza cases are or how many of the patients have been hospitalized. So far, the state has not attributed any deaths to swine flu.
Barrett called Friday's increase in probable flu cases dramatic and added, "It is not inconceivable at this time that we would face a closure of many more schools or perhaps the whole district."
The mayor said he would wait to see what happens over the weekend and decide around 4 p.m. Sunday whether to add more school closings. On Friday, the total number of public schools closed in the city stood at 12 - in addition to at least two Catholic schools and several other private schools.
The schools added to Milwaukee's closure list were: Advanced Language & Academic Studies, Forest Home Avenue Elementary School, Honey Creek Continuous Progress Elementary School, Lincoln Avenue Elementary School, Kosciuszko Montessori School, Wedgewood Park International School and Milwaukee Learning Laboratory & Institute.
"We want to see what the changes are in the next 47 hours, in addition the severity of those cases, and if we are seeing an increase in hospital admissions," Barrett said. "We know we're seeing an increase in emergency department visits."
Cases in suburbs
Meanwhile, health officials identified three new probable cases of swine flu in Waukesha County, two in Racine County and one in Rock County. Sheboygan, Adams and Ozaukee counties have one probable case each. The cases in Waukesha County led to the closing of three public schools in Oconomowoc and prompted the county's top health official to urge people to avoid large gatherings.
At present, it is difficult to be sure of Wisconsin's total because the state health department is counting only seven Milwaukee County cases. This is because testing for many of the new Milwaukee cases was conducted at Children's Hospital and not the state Laboratory of Hygiene in Madison. Also, some of the cases identified at Children's Hospital may come from outside Milwaukee County.
However, it is clear that a day after having just a handful of probable swine flu cases, Wisconsin now has more than 30.
Samples from a total of 389 cases around Wisconsin have been submitted to the state hygiene lab for testing, of which 132 are still pending, state officials say.
The increase in probable cases has raised questions about the state's supply of anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and about the safety of large public gatherings.
Avoiding gatherings?
Milwaukee officials have not advised people to avoid gatherings such as sports events.
But Peter Schuler, Waukesha County's director of health and human services, advised people to stay away from large public indoor gatherings. Organizers of a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Waukesha announced Friday that they were canceling the event at the urging of county health officials. About 500 children were to participate in the Tuesday event.
None of the three afflicted Waukesha County residents has become seriously ill, but Schuler noted that swine flu is a unique virus with no known preventive vaccine.
"This flu has the potential of gaining strength, almost like a storm," he said.
As a result of the suspected swine flu case in Oconomowoc, county health officials ordered the closure of Oconomowoc High School, as well as Nature Hill and Silver Lake intermediate schools.
Schuler said the schools will remain closed until at least Friday and will not reopen without his department's approval. The middle schools were included because of commingling of students, as well as potential exposure to family members of an afflicted high schooler.
In Waukesha County, the three probable flu patients were described as an 18-year-old male student at Oconomowoc High School, an elementary school-aged child in Waukesha and a Waukesha adult around 20 years old. Officials estimated that another 40 adults and children are being tested after showing flu symptoms during doctor visits.
In Racine County, officials said two probable swine flu cases involve adults, both of whom were in isolation in their homes. They were said to have mild cases of flu. No schools were closed.
In Rock County, officials said a man who had traveled to an infected area was listed as the county's lone probable case of swine flu. Because no children were said to be infected, officials did not order the closing of any schools or day care centers.
Although states are supposed to have sufficient supplies of anti-viral drugs to be able to treat 25% of the population, Wisconsin is short of that heading into the weekend. The state has a large enough supply to treat about 7% of the population and by Sunday should have enough to treat 10%, according to Stephanie Marquis, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health Services. Marquis added that the state has access to supplies for another 11% now held by the federal government.
http://www.jsonline.com/features/health/44204922.html