CDC weekly surveillance rpt - NOT REPORTING???

[GhostRN]

I'm maintaining a thread on published recent H1N1 swine virus hospitalizations: deaths by state and was surprised to see this today.... wonder why? One would think its more important and interesting than ever.....

The Influenza Division is in the process of updating their existing surveillance systems in response to the outbreak caused by influenza H1N1 swine virus to provide more timely data. The weekly surveillance report (FluView) for week 16 (week ending April 25, 2009) will not be posted Friday, May 1, 2009. The most current information on the influenza H1N1 swine virus investigation is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.

It is important to remember the following about influenza surveillance in the United States:

• All influenza activity reporting by states and health-care providers is voluntary.
• The reported information answers the questions of where, when, and what influenza viruses are circulating. It can be used to determine if influenza activity is increasing or decreasing, but cannot be used to ascertain how many people have become ill with influenza during the influenza season.
• The system consists of nine complementary surveillance components in five categories. These components include reports from more than 150 laboratories, 2,400 outpatient care sites, vital statistics offices in 122 cities, research and health-care personnel at the NVSN and EIP sites, and influenza surveillance coordinators and state epidemiologists from all 50 state health departments, and the District of Columbia health department.
• Influenza surveillance data collection is based on a reporting week that starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday of each week. Each surveillance participant is requested to summarize weekly data and submit it to CDC by Tuesday afternoon of the following week. Those data are then downloaded, compiled, and analyzed at CDC. The report is distributed and posted on this Web site each Friday from October through mid-May.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivity.htm

 

[deerskie]

Re: CDC weekly surveillance rpt - NOT REPORTING???

And the other shoe drops....

I'm skeptical that they're in the process of some kind of "update" which prevents the publishing of their weekly report.

One possible explanation: They don't want to report false info, and don't want to report the truth either. Thus, they can't report anything.

I find this very concerning....

 

[tropical]

Re: CDC weekly surveillance rpt - NOT REPORTING???

And the other shoe drops....

I'm skeptical that they're in the process of some kind of "update" which prevents the publishing of their weekly report.

One possible explanation: They don't want to report false info, and don't want to report the truth either. Thus, they can't report anything.

I find this very concerning....

Concerning yes, but better than telling lies.

Exists another possibility (apart the prosaic "comp. glitch"):
maybe the new emergency guideliness enacted the emergency laws which probably would deny to the wide public the knowledge of what's going on realy by numbers.

Additionaly, if the things goes realy bad ever, could be enacted the mil. law.
But we all hope that at least this time things don't escape from the bottle
(uhm, but they already did last month ...)

 

[deerskie]

Re: CDC weekly surveillance rpt - NOT REPORTING???

Concerning yes, but better than telling lies.

Exists another possibility (apart the prosaic "comp. glitch"):
maybe the new emergency guideliness enacted the emergency laws which probably would deny to the wide public the knowledge of what's going on realy by numbers.

Additionaly, if the things goes realy bad ever, could be enacted the mil. law.
But we all hope that at least this time things don't escape from the bottle
(uhm, but they already did last month ...)

Of course it's possible that the data on SF cases is so incomplete due to the testing backlog that they simply didn't feel comfortable releasing them.
I've tried to access the communication and reporting policies of DHS, HHS, and CDC during a flu pandemic but they all come up as "can't find server." One thing I did find out was that once a health threat of national significance is declared, then a whole new set of rules applies. The normal official HHS policy is to release accurate info to the public quickly and clearly. Right now, I'm hearing "the sound of silence" from our govt agencies.

 

[hawkeye]

Re: CDC weekly surveillance rpt - NOT REPORTING???

Does anyone know if local state agencies updating their reports?

 

[GhostRN]

Re: CDC weekly surveillance rpt - NOT REPORTING???

Surely at least these are reporting...".....influenza surveillance coordinators and state epidemiologists from all 50 state health departments, and the District of Columbia health department." Do not call to verify as these folks have their hands full - I believe its more a situation of where its more information than they want released currently and/or they may be changing their process with this new event.

 

[GhostRN]

Re: CDC weekly surveillance rpt - NOT REPORTING???

Why still no weekly CDC surveillance reports? April 18th missing, April 25th missing, May 2 missing, (?May 9th ?) This is very unusual..... http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivity.htm