Minnesota Dept of Health - Information and Case Counts

[Laidback Al]

Link to Minnesota Dept of Health for S-OI A/H1N1 information:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu/h1n1/index.html

 

[NurseNalts]

Re: Minnesota Dept of Health - Information and Case Counts

Here's a new update in the MN status - looks like a total of 8 cases now (7 identified on 5/1)
Minnesota finds 8 probable swine flu cases
Several are in metro area; samples sent to CDC
By Jeremy Olson
pioneer press
Updated: 05/01/2009 11:57:22 PM CDT

Eight cases of H1N1 novel influenza — the so-called swine flu — may have been detected in the state, Minnesota health officials said Friday, in addition to one previously confirmed case.

Late Friday, health officials announced that they were forwarding seven lab samples to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to be tested for the virus. Another probable case was detected in Isanti County earlier Friday.

The department is describing the cases "probable." The CDC will conduct more tests on the samples to see if they are cases of H1N1.

To date there has only been one confirmed case of the virus in Minnesota.

Health officials say all eight seven people in the most recent cases did not require hospitalization and are at home expected to make a full recovery. Three of the sick are in Hennepin County, with one each in Dakota, Isanti, Polk, Scott and Wright counties.

Earlier Friday, Health Department spokesman Buddy Ferguson said it could take a day or more for the CDC to process the Isanti County sample because it's handling many from around the country. He said the sample was being shipped to Atlanta rather than flown on the state's plane, as was the sample from the first confirmed case.

The Isanti County case does not involve a school, unlike the confirmed case in Cold Spring, where a public middle school and an adjacent private school remain closed to prevent the virus from spreading. An unidentified person at

Rocori Middle School was infected after apparently being in contact with someone who had traveled to Mexico.
Health investigators are still determining if the case in Isanti — which is immediately north of the metro area — has a link to Mexico or to some other region in which the infection has emerged.

As of Friday morning, the CDC reported 141 confirmed cases in 19 states and one related death of a toddler in Texas. While the virus has reportedly killed more than 150 people in Mexico, it has been milder in the U.S. and, so far, has acted like traditional seasonal influenza strains. The trouble is that nobody is immune to the strain because it is new and wasn't covered by this year's flu vaccine. A vaccine against H1N1 isn't expected until the fall at the earliest.

The state Health Department has conducted preliminary tests on 224 samples from patients with flu symptoms. Another 30 are scheduled for testing. The department anticipates receiving testing materials from the CDC in a few days that will allow confirmation tests to take place in Minnesota, thereby cutting down on delays.

The closure of Rocori Middle School from last Wednesday through Tuesday coincides with the seven-day infection risk of the virus. Workers cleaned and disinfected the school Thursday, though the risk of live virus remaining on any surfaces in the school is low.

St. Boniface, adjacent to the middle school, will reopen Monday.

The H1N1 virus primarily spreads person to person, which is why health officials have urged people to cover their coughs, wash their hands and stay home from work or school if they have flu symptoms and fever.

This report includes information from the Associated Press.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Minnesota Dept of Health - Information and Case Counts

Source: http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D97VM3F80

Minn. Health Dept. revisits swine flu procedures
By JEFF BAENEN Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press - Monday, May 04, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS

The Minnesota Health Department is issuing new safety procedures to healthcare providers and schools after determining that swine flu cases are not as severe as originally thought.

The department says the swine flu is behaving more like regular seasonal influenza. State officials say healthcare providers need only submit lab specimens for suspected swine flu patients if they've been hospitalized for flu-like symptoms.

Health officials say school districts can still close buildings at their discretion, and they're working with leaders at currently closed schools to determine the next step.

State Health Commissioner Sanne Magnan says it's not an occasion to relax. She says seasonal influenza is a major health concern in its own right.

___

On the Net:

Minnesota Department of Health: http://www.health.state.mn.us

___

Associated Press reporter Elizabeth Dunbar contributed to this report from St. Paul.

 

[Rocky]

21 confirmed cases

21 confirmed cases

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu/h1n1/index.html

 

[Rocky]

Re: Minnesota 39 Confirmed Cases

Re: Minnesota 39 Confirmed Cases

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu/h1n1/index.html

Confirmed Cases of H1N1 Novel Influenza Infection in Minnesota (5/19/09 12:00 PM)

The listed regions only represent areas where people have been tested and had positive results. There are many areas that we think have novel influenza H1N1 circulating but we have not done extensive testing. MDH is now focusing testing on severe cases. Therefore we will not identify most cases of novel influenza H1N1, particularly those with mild illness.

Hospitalizations 4
Region Confirmed
Central 3
Metro 29
Northeast 1
Northwest 2
South Central 0
Southeast 1
Southwest 3
West Central 0
Total in Minnesota 39

 

[wotan]

Re: Minnesota Dept of Health - Information and Case Counts

This is "interesting": http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu/h1n1/hcp/testing.html

Laboratory testing for H1N1 at the MDH Public Health Laboratory is limited to patients with:
Influenza-like illness (ILI) AND

1. hospitalized (or deceased following ILI illness) OR
2. have had contact with pigs in the 7 days prior to the onset of symptoms or during their illness (e.g. swine worker)

Atypical situations, such as a cluster investigation, will be considered for testing after consultation with MDH epidemiology at 651-201-5414 or 1-877-676-5414.