Announcement

**vinny** · April 25, 2009, 03:37 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

how far away is Kansas from new york...?

**flutrackers@cool.fr.nf** · April 25, 2009, 03:40 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

Originally posted by Florida1 View Post

hat tip Fla Medic -

Kansas state officials confirm two flu cases-CNN

25 Apr 2009 20:26:06 GMT

 Source: Reuters

 <script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.alertnet.org/bin/js/article.js"></script> <input value="13" name="CurrentSize" id="CurrentSize" type="hidden">   WASHINGTON, April 25 (Reuters) - Kansas state health officials have confirmed two cases of swine flu, just minutes after New York health officials said they had eight probable cases, CNN reported on Saturday. Health officials across the United States are testing for the new and unusual strain of H1N1 swine flu that is suspected of killing 68 people in Mexico and that has caused mild illness in at least eight people in the United States. (Reporting by Maggie Fox)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25477030.htm

So it begins....expect alot of this over the next 24-48 hours....new cases popping up all over the USA. This is probably why the usually calm, cool, and collective CDC are a bit worried.

**sharon sanders** · April 25, 2009, 03:41 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

There appears to be wide spread Swine Flu in the United States.

California
Texas
New York - presumptive
Kansas

No where near each other.

**Science Teacher** · April 25, 2009, 03:42 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

1,100 miles from Kansas to NY

**sharon sanders** · April 25, 2009, 03:43 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

BTW - We say it like it is here. We want links to support information. No unverified rumours.

But when it walks like a duck.......it is a duck.

**sharon sanders** · April 25, 2009, 04:49 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 25, 2009
Contact: Maggie Thompson 785-925-4059 (cell)
mthompson@kdheks.gov
www.kdheks.gov

KDHE Reports 2 Cases of Swine Flu in Kansas

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced today that two cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Kansas involving two adults residing in the same household in Dickinson County. Neither of the patients was hospitalized – one is still ill and being treated, and one is recovering.

One of the patients had recently traveled to Mexico, flying in and out of Wichita. Both persons work in Saline County and became ill with the same unique (H1N1) strain of swine flu that has been identified in Mexico, California and Texas.

“It’s not yet known whether this will become the next flu pandemic,” stated Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, State Health Officer and Director of the KDHE Division of Health.

“We are working closely with health agencies at all levels and are continuing to monitor these cases. We are taking this situation very seriously.”

KDHE and the Dickinson County Health Department are investigating the sources of exposure, and efforts are being coordinated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Individuals who have been in contact with the patients are being interviewed and tested. Local health departments and hospitals in Kansas are being continuously updated and provided with information about the swine flu virus.

In accordance with the Kansas Response Plan, KDHE is also monitoring and instituting recommendations from CDC for any additional influenza disease surveillance activities, reviewing plans to further enhance those activities, and advising health care providers to use rapid detection tests for persons who have symptoms consistent with swine flu, especially if they have recently been in Mexico, and taking other steps under the plan.

The symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include:

·Fever greater than 100 degrees
·Body aches
·Coughing
·Sore throat
·Respiratory congestion
·In some cases, diarrhea and vomiting

Individuals who experience the above symptoms should contact their physician, who will determine whether testing or treatment is needed. There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. As with any influenza virus, individuals are encouraged to take the following steps to reduce spread:

·Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to get rid of most germs and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
·Stay home when you are sick to avoid spreading illness to co-workers and friends.
·Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.
·Stay healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest and exercise.

The KDHE Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology received a report of unusual flu-like illness from Dickinson County on Friday afternoon. Respiratory specimens were collected from both patients and received by KDHE later on Friday evening.

At about 2 a.m. Saturday, the Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories at KDHE reported preliminary results that were positive for influenza A viruses. Between about 2:30 and 3 a.m., KDHE notified the Dickinson County Health Department of those preliminary results, which notified the attending physician.
Around that same time, KDHE obtained the use of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ plane to safely and securely transport the samples as rapidly as possible to the CDC labs in Atlanta for confirmatory analysis to determine if the viruses were of the (H1N1) strain. A staff member with the KDHE Center for Public Health Preparedness handed the samples to a CDC representative at about 6:10 a.m. on Saturday, and the samples reached the labs at about 6:30 a.m. KDHE convened staff in its Department Operations Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, and was notified by CDC of the confirmatory results at 2:30 p.m.

Prior to the recent outbreak in Mexico and the U.S., since 2005 12 cases of human infection with swine influenza had been reported to CDC. Swine flu infections in humans are rare, but are related to close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig production barns and livestock exhibits at fairs. Neither of the current patients in Kansas reported having contact with pigs.

For more information and updates, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdheks.gov.

# # #

As the state’s environmental protection and public health agency, KDHE promotes responsible choices to protect the health and environment for all Kansans.

**AlaskaDenise** · April 25, 2009, 06:03 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

Originally posted by Florida1 View Post

There appears to be wide spread Swine Flu in the United States.

California
Texas
New York - presumptive
Kansas

No where near each other.

What has long been suspected - this disease will spread not by feathered birds, but metal birds.

.

**Jeremy** · April 25, 2009, 06:14 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

Hey everyone!

Long time no post.

Just a quick question...does anyone remember the rate of spread that we saw in 1918? I remember looking at all those old newspaper clippings and was wondering thinking aobut the time it took from the virus first appearing to the when the area was overcome with cases. Anyone have any idea what that rate was?

**AlaskaDenise** · April 25, 2009, 07:01 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

Do you mean the RO factor?

.

**AlaskaDenise** · April 25, 2009, 07:08 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

Prior Ft discussion of RO with chart is here

unfortunately the original article quoted is no longer online, but Mellie copied out the good chart.

Note they say an Ro > 1 has pandemic potential.

.

**AlaskaDenise** · April 25, 2009, 07:16 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

Also, see Laidback Al's post here.

from the CDC article:

In any given network exists a critical transmissibility value, Tc, which indicates whether a large-scale epidemic is probable. Any disease with average transmissibility <Tc cannot cause sustained transmission within a population and will thus be limited to small outbreaks. Such diseases die out because of the probabilistic nature of transmission before the disease has a chance to spread to the population at large.

It makes a difference as to if it's successfully jumping from person to person, forming a long chain, or if you have lots of people infected by one common source. Mexico is trying to prevent the long chains.

.

**AlaskaDenise** · April 25, 2009, 07:23 PM

Re: Kansas Confirms 2 Cases of Swine Flu

Another good old FT discussion of R0, with charts, is here.

Since scientists cannot identify all the genetic changes that make a virus go pandemic, this method of using Ro is often a valuable decision tool.

.

**Shiloh** · May 18, 2009, 01:00 PM

Re: Kansas SF - tracking

Source: http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/heal...t-you-need-to/

H1N1 virus affecting more Kansans; what you need to know

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Monday that 12 new cases of H1N1 influenza A virus, commonly known as swine flu, have been confirmed in Kansas since Friday.

Two cases were identified in Geary County adults. Four cases were identified in Geary County children. Four cases were identified in Riley County adults. One case was identified in a Riley County child. One case was identified in a Saline County child.

KDHE is working closely with the Geary and Riley county health departments and local health care providers to identify close contacts of confirmed cases, in an effort to interrupt the chain of virus transmission.

Affected counties

The announcement brings the Kansas total to 46 confirmed cases. In all cases, the local health departments are following the guidance provided by KDHE and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The following counties have had confirmed cases:

? Dickinson County ? Two cases involving adults.

? Ford County ? One case involving a child.

? Geary County ? Nine cases total involving three adults and six children.

? Johnson County ? 11 cases total involving four adults and seven children.

? Ottawa County ? One case involving a child.

? Riley County ? Seven cases total involving five adults and two children.

? Saline County ? Three cases total involving one adult and two children.

? Sedgwick County ? One case involving a child.

? Wyandotte County ? 11 cases total involving one adult and 10 children.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the virus are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever greater than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, sore throat, respiratory congestion, diarrhea and vomiting.

Individuals who experience the above symptoms should contact their health care provider, who will determine whether testing or treatment is needed. There is no vaccine available right now to protect against the virus, but there are effective treatments available once the infection is diagnosed.

Keep from spreading

As with any influenza virus, individuals are encouraged to take the following steps to reduce spread:

? Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to get rid of most germs and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

? Stay home when you are sick to avoid spreading illness to co-workers and friends.

? Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.

? Stay healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest and exercise.

KDHE has established a phone number for concerned Kansans to call with questions about the virus. The toll-free number is 877-427-7317. Operators will be available to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Information also is available on KDHE?s Web site.

By Karrey Britt

May 18, 2009

**gsgs** · May 18, 2009, 01:09 PM

Re: Kansas SF - tracking

one Kansas virus traveled to Germany.

Hamburg,29.April,22 year,female,Mexico-traveler
similar to
A/Kansas/03/2009-04-24
A/NY/1669/2009-04-26
{so presumably that special virus was active in Mexico until 24.April when the persons
from Kansas and New York caught it there too ?}

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Kansas SF - tracking

Kansas SF - tracking

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