Mexico:
The most recent World Health Organization statistics include 20 confirmed cases of swine influenza from Mexico (the vast majority of the thousand or so total cases reported are unconfirmed). While the media attention has focused on Mexico City, the disease is not limited to that region. Suspect clinical cases have been reported in 19 of the country's 32 states.
United States:
As of noon central time today (updated after map image produced), the CDC reports 40 laboratory confirmed cases in the US: (California 7 cases, Kansas 2 cases, New York City 28 cases, Ohio 1 case, Texas 2 cases.)
Recommendations:
The CDC recommends the following to prevent spread:
Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
Not Time to Panic:
To keep this all in perspective, there has also been an outbreak of Pertussis in Australia this spring, with more than 7,000 cases reported. Also this year, the Yellow Fever virus exposure zone in Brazil has expanded to include Sao Paolo. Since February 2009, twenty-two cases have been reported; Yellow Fever has a mortality rate approaching 50%. Yellow Fever, Pertussis and Influenza (probably including Swine Flu) are preventable with appropriate vaccination.
Posted by Scott W. Yates, MD, MBA, MS, FACP
