Flu

March 14, 2008 -- The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has confirmed that a five-year-old girl in the Twin Cities metro area has died from complications of influenza. This is the state’s second pediatric influenza-related death of the 2007-2008 influenza season.

The first death occurred in a 12-year-old, unvaccinated child with a chronic underlying medical condition. The girl who died in the most recent case had received a flu shot, but not until after she was already ill.    » read more »

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Mar. 4, 2008) – Kentucky’s influenza (flu) activity continues to be classified as “widespread” for the fifth consecutive week, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) announced today.

The “widespread” classification indicates the highest level of flu activity, with 722 state laboratory-confirmed flu cases in all regions of the state. Last week, 49 of the 50 U.S. states also reported widespread influenza activity.    » read more »

Public flu vaccination clinics planned in response to death, new CDC vaccination guidelines

Feb. 29, 2008 -- The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today confirmed that a 12-year-old Twin Cities metropolitan area girl died recently from complications of influenza. The girl had not been vaccinated, and had an underlying medical condition that may have put her at increased risk of influenza complications.    » read more »

Urges South Dakota Students To Do The Same

October 29, 2007 -- PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds rolled up his sleeves for a flu shot today and urged Hawthorne Elementary School students in Sioux Falls to do the same. The governor visited the clinic, sponsored by the Sioux Falls Immunization Coalition, to promote the state’s child flu vaccination initiative.

Gov. Rounds was joined by representatives of the South Dakota State Medical Association, Avera, and Sanford Health, who are all partners with the state in the child flu initiative.    » read more »

4-Sep-2007 -- Children under the age of 5 who receive an annual flu shot have a greatly reduced risk of needing to see their doctor or be admitted to the hospital because of flu-related illness. A new study in the September issue of Pediatrics that analyzes how many outpatient visits or hospitalizations might be prevented by childhood influenza immunization finds that vaccinating only half U.S. children could eliminate as many as 650,000 doctor’s office visits and 2,250 hospitalizations in a year.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2007 – The Defense Department is preparing a pandemic flu guide for civilian managers and rank-and-file employees, a senior official said.

The Defense Department released its Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan in April, Patricia S. Bradshaw, deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy, said May 25 in an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.

The department’s plan is part of the president’s initiative to prepare the nation for a potential mass outbreak of deadly flu virus.    » read more »

5/9/2007 - WASHINGTON (AFNEWS) -- The Defense Department is teaming with other federal agencies to prepare the nation to deal with a potential pandemic outbreak of influenza, a senior official said May 8 here.

"Right now, we're as ready as we can be at this point," said Richard Chavez, director of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear preparedness and response at the department.    » read more »