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The worst of H1N1 may be over in Utah
Health ? Four new deaths are reported, but cases are declining.
By Andrew Maddocks
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 07/08/2009 06:27:36 PM MDT
While state health officials are reporting another four deaths tied to H1N1 swine flu -- with at least one in the past week -- they are hopeful the virus has run its course in Utah.
David Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, said he's "breathing a sigh of relief." The four patients who died recently -- bringing the state's total deaths to 14 -- all had serious underlying health problems, Sundwall said. And the number of new illnesses has flattened out since the middle of June.
"I think we're seeing the downside of the epidemic in Utah," Sundwall said Wednesday.
The state health department said one of the fatalities was an infant under age 1, but did not provide a location. The other three deaths were among people between the ages of 15 and 54.
One of the four new fatalities occurred during the past week in Utah County, said Lance Madigan, spokesman for the Utah County Health Department. Two of the new fatalities were in Utah County, but occurred over the previous three weeks, he said.
TriCounty Health Department also reported a death in a patient above age 65, but spokeswoman Jeramie Tubbs could not confirm when the patient died.
Overall, 23 more hospitalized cases were confirmed by the state this week, but 19 were delayed test results from cases in previous weeks.
As recently as last week, Intermountain Medical Center was still treating unusually sick patients, but the severity of illness and number of patients with flulike symptoms is returning to normal.
"The number of [flu] patients coming in is fairly typical of what we see at this time of year," spokesman Jess Gomez said.
He added that Intermountain's local health clinics are also seeing fewer patients with flulike symptoms.
Other Wasatch Front hospitals report similar decreases. Patients with severe flu symptoms at Primary Children's Hospital have "dropped significantly," spokeswoman Bonnie Midget said. Eleven or 12 patients a day were admitted at the outbreak's peak, but in the past week that number dropped to one or two patients a day, Midget said.
No patients at the hospital have tested positive for influenza type A, the broader category that includes H1N1, in two days, she added.
The University of Utah Hospital currently has no patients with confirmed cases of H1N1, spokeswoman Ryann Rasmussen said. Several patients still visit daily with seasonal flu symptoms.
Davis County Hospital and Medical Center physician Darin Vercillo said flu season usually ends in April or May, but H1N1 infections had kept patient levels consistently high.
"This week we saw a big drop off," Vercillo said. "Whether or not there's a resurgence remains to be seen."
Vercillo isn't alone in his concern. Health care providers want to be ready for a possible spike in H1N1 when colder temperatures usher in the regular flu season.
Sundwall said federal organizations might institute America's first nationwide vaccination program, with an H1N1-specific vaccine, by October or November. State epidemiologist Robert Rolfs will attend a national H1N1 summit in Washington D.C. beginning today.
"You can take some confidence in the fact we're scrambling to have a vaccine available," Sundwall said.
Smaller-scale preparation is ongoing.
More infants and small children are hospitalized with respiratory illnesses than adults during winter, Midget said. So Primary Children's Hospital is developing staffing and accommodation plans in case its normal facilities fill later this year.
The worst of H1N1 may be over in Utah
Health ? Four new deaths are reported, but cases are declining.
By Andrew Maddocks
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 07/08/2009 06:27:36 PM MDT
While state health officials are reporting another four deaths tied to H1N1 swine flu -- with at least one in the past week -- they are hopeful the virus has run its course in Utah.
David Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, said he's "breathing a sigh of relief." The four patients who died recently -- bringing the state's total deaths to 14 -- all had serious underlying health problems, Sundwall said. And the number of new illnesses has flattened out since the middle of June.
"I think we're seeing the downside of the epidemic in Utah," Sundwall said Wednesday.
The state health department said one of the fatalities was an infant under age 1, but did not provide a location. The other three deaths were among people between the ages of 15 and 54.
One of the four new fatalities occurred during the past week in Utah County, said Lance Madigan, spokesman for the Utah County Health Department. Two of the new fatalities were in Utah County, but occurred over the previous three weeks, he said.
TriCounty Health Department also reported a death in a patient above age 65, but spokeswoman Jeramie Tubbs could not confirm when the patient died.
Overall, 23 more hospitalized cases were confirmed by the state this week, but 19 were delayed test results from cases in previous weeks.
As recently as last week, Intermountain Medical Center was still treating unusually sick patients, but the severity of illness and number of patients with flulike symptoms is returning to normal.
"The number of [flu] patients coming in is fairly typical of what we see at this time of year," spokesman Jess Gomez said.
He added that Intermountain's local health clinics are also seeing fewer patients with flulike symptoms.
Other Wasatch Front hospitals report similar decreases. Patients with severe flu symptoms at Primary Children's Hospital have "dropped significantly," spokeswoman Bonnie Midget said. Eleven or 12 patients a day were admitted at the outbreak's peak, but in the past week that number dropped to one or two patients a day, Midget said.
No patients at the hospital have tested positive for influenza type A, the broader category that includes H1N1, in two days, she added.
The University of Utah Hospital currently has no patients with confirmed cases of H1N1, spokeswoman Ryann Rasmussen said. Several patients still visit daily with seasonal flu symptoms.
Davis County Hospital and Medical Center physician Darin Vercillo said flu season usually ends in April or May, but H1N1 infections had kept patient levels consistently high.
"This week we saw a big drop off," Vercillo said. "Whether or not there's a resurgence remains to be seen."
Vercillo isn't alone in his concern. Health care providers want to be ready for a possible spike in H1N1 when colder temperatures usher in the regular flu season.
Sundwall said federal organizations might institute America's first nationwide vaccination program, with an H1N1-specific vaccine, by October or November. State epidemiologist Robert Rolfs will attend a national H1N1 summit in Washington D.C. beginning today.
"You can take some confidence in the fact we're scrambling to have a vaccine available," Sundwall said.
Smaller-scale preparation is ongoing.
More infants and small children are hospitalized with respiratory illnesses than adults during winter, Midget said. So Primary Children's Hospital is developing staffing and accommodation plans in case its normal facilities fill later this year.