Announcement

**kent nickell** · March 26, 2010, 05:07 AM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Is this a typo or is there a discrepancy of 12 in the number of deaths...

Page not found

http://dch.georgia.gov/00/press/detail/0,2668,31446711_31450193_157887077,00.html

H1N1 Hospitalizations and Deaths on the Rise in Georgia

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 Contact: Ravae Graham (404) 656-7989

ATLANTA - Now is not the time to drop our guard on H1N1 vaccinations, said state officials from the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) at a press conference today at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston Hospital. There have been a total of 1,012 H1N1 hospitalizations and 72 influenza associated deaths in Georgia since April 2009. Children are one of the most vulnerable populations affected by H1N1, and it is vitally important that some of them receive the required two doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

We are concerned that a significant number of Georgians have not received the H1N1 vaccine and especially children between the ages of six months and nine years of age that should be receiving two doses of the vaccine, said Dr. M. Rony Francois, MD, MSPH, PhD, Director of DCH's Division of Public Health. We are asking all Georgians to remain vigilant about the H1N1 virus and its complications. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect you and your loved ones from the flu.

Currently, Georgia is one of five states that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list with regional influenza activity. While seasonal flu usually runs from October through May, H1N1 is still circulating and may continue for many months. Georgia experienced its first wave last spring and peaked with a second wave in September.

We aren't 100 percent sure that a third wave is occurring or will occur, but if there is a third wave it may happen in our state first, said Dr. Patrick O'Neal, Director of DCH's Division of Emergency Preparedness & Response. What we do know is that residents need to continue taking precautions against the flu and seek vaccination if they haven't been vaccinated.

Pharmacies and doctor's offices across the state still have a good supply of the vaccine, and people are encouraged to find a provider near them and to get vaccinated. It is highly recommended for children between the ages of six months and nine years of age. Other high risk groups are:

* Pregnant women
* Health care and emergency medical personnel with direct patient contact
* People who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months
* Anyone from 6 months to 24 years of age
* Seniors and anyone with underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for flu-related complications

For complete information or to learn more about flu prevention, visit http://health.state.ga.us/h1n1flu or call 1-888-H1N1-INFO (1-888-4161-4636).

**gsgs** · March 26, 2010, 05:58 AM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

> These cases are CONFIRMED AT GEORGIA PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED.

ILI taken from region 4 (AL,FL,GA,KY,MS,NC,SC,TN)

Georgia ILI:

Georgia,counts: http://dch.georgia.gov/00/channel_ti...304655,00.html
Alabama ILI: http://adph.org/Influenza/assets/ILI_Chart.pdf
Mississippi ILI: http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/resources/3665.pdf
Louisiana: http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices...ummary1011.pdf

Georgia RSV: http://www.surveillancedata.com/nrev...010;3/20/2010;

Attached Files

**JimO** · March 26, 2010, 03:28 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Originally posted by kent nickell View Post

Is this a typo or is there a discrepancy of 12 in the number of deaths...

I don't know for sure, but Georgia is probably only reporting confirmed H1N1 deaths on its website. The other 12 are probably unsubtypeable influenza A. Some states report only the total number of flu deaths, others report only confirmed AH1N1, and still others report both. My tally has included confirmed H1N1 and unsubtypeable A flu when the data are available since the vast majority of influenza detected in the U.S. has been Pandemic H1N1.

Thanks for the information. My tally will reflect 12 more than the state website from here on.

**Ronan Kelly** · April 2, 2010, 06:39 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Curious 1

Something unusual seems to be going on with Georgia numbers.
The cumulative table is down;
"H1N1 Hospitalizations and Deaths in Georgia
This information is currently being updated. Please check back later."

The weekly reports on the website do not reflect the numbers from post #1. For example;

Date Range/ hospitalizations/ Deaths
1/31-2/6 - 16-3
2/7-2/13 - 22-2
2/14-2/20 - 36-4
2/21-2/27 - 38-3
2/28-3/6 - 42-2
3/7 - 3/13 - 29-1
3/14 - 3/20 - 43-1
3/21 - 3/27 - 16-1

Now I realise that these reports were subject to revision, but to pull down the cumulative table at a time when it is receiving national attention seems odd.

Page not found

http://dch.georgia.gov/00/channel_title/0,2094,31446711_148304655,00.html

**Ronan Kelly** · April 2, 2010, 06:57 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

-snip-
The Georgia Department of Community Health reported 80 H1N1-related hospitalizations for the week of March 3-9, more than double the cases reported the week prior. Thirty-eight H1N1-related hospitalizations were reported between Feb. 24 and March 2, but 80 such hospitalizations were reported between March 3rd and 9th.
-snip-

http://www.mycountypaper.com/claytonnews/headlines/88313172.html

The above report (from March 17) indicates 38 hospitalizations Feb 24- Mar 2. The preceding post agrees 38 hospitalizations between 2/21 and 2/27. However the preceding post then has 42 hospitalizations the next week. Did someone accidentally add these together to get the total 80?

Similarly, the next two weeks added together give 72. Is this all a clerical error?

**sharon sanders** · April 2, 2010, 08:01 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Originally posted by JimO View Post

Source:http://dch.georgia.gov/00/channel_ti...304655,00.html

Time Frame - Hospitalizations - Total # Deaths

4/24/09 - 7/29/09 - 44 - 1
7/30/09 - 8/12/09 - 8 - 0
8/6/09 - 8/12/09 - 22 - 2
8/13/09 - 8/19/09 - 27 - 1
8/20/09 - 8/26/09 - 46 - 0
8/27/09 - 9/2/09 - 50 - 1
9/3/09 - 9/8/09 - 46 - 4
9/9/09 - 9/15/09 - 64 - 3
9/16/09 - 9/22/09 - 49 - 1
9/23/09 - 9/29/09 - 81 - 8
9/30/09 - 10/6/09 - 66 - 2
10/7/09 - 10/13/09 - 41 - 4
10/14/09 - 10/20/09 - 43 - 1
10/21/09 - 10/27/09 - 19 - 5
10/28/09 - 11/3/09 - 24 - 1
11/4/09 - 11/10/09 - 18 - 1
11/11/09 - 11/17/09 - 18 - 2
11/18/09 - 11/24/09 - 11 - 2
11/25/09 - 12/1/09 - 9 - 0
12/2/09 - 12/8/09 - 2 - 0
12/9/09 - 12/15/09 - 8 - 1
12/16/09 - 12/22/09 - 3 - 1
12/23/09 - 12/29/09 - 14 - 0
12/30/09 - 1/5/10 - 26 - 0
1/6/10 - 1/12/10 - 18 - 0
1/13/10 - 1/19/10 - 8 - 0
1/20/10 - 1/26/10 - 21 - 1
1/27/10 - 2/2/10 - 11 - 1
2/3/10 - 2/9/10 - 17 - 4
2/10/10 - 2/16/10 - 15 - 2
2/17/10 - 2/23/10 - 36 - 2
2/24/10 - 3/2/10 - 38 - 3
3/3/10 - 3/9/10 - 80 - 2
3/10/10 - 3/16/10 - 72 -2

Total - 1,012 - 60 (possibly 72)

Thanks everyone for working on this.

We stand by our records.

**Ronan Kelly** · April 2, 2010, 08:53 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

From DCH Press release March 24th;

Rhonda M. Medows, MD, Commissioner Sonny Perdue, Governor
H1N1 Hospitalizations and Deaths on the Rise in GeorgiaWednesday, March 24, 2010 Contact: Ravae Graham (404) 656-7989

ATLANTA - Now is not the time to drop our guard on H1N1 vaccinations, said state officials from the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) at a press conference today at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston Hospital. There have been a total of 1,012 H1N1 hospitalizations and 72 influenza associated deaths in Georgia since April 2009. Children are one of the most vulnerable populations affected by H1N1, and it is vitally important that some of them receive the required two doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

Page not found

http://dch.georgia.gov/00/press/detail/0,2668,31446711_31450193_157887077,00.html

Edit: Just read JimO's comment above. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing. I would like to see the cumulative table back on the DCS website though, just to see....

**gsgs** · April 2, 2010, 09:06 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

since week 2 we have regional spread in Georgia,South Carolina,Alabama.
It didn't go down to "Sporadic" after the fall wave as it did in the other states.
However the total ILI-curve for Georgia is not particularly high, you won't
assume from the ILI-curves that they have "Regional" activity while
other regions with worse curves are down to "Local" or "Sporadic".
So, how do they decide it's "Regional", if not from the sentinal
ILI-data ? Maybe hospitalizations or ED-admissions.
The mortality data show an increase in recent weeks in Atlanta, but not
Savannah. So, could it be really "Regional", bad only in some regions while
others(most) are normal and thus the total ILI-chart for Georgia doesn't show it ?
Were these regions spared in the fall wave, which was early in Georgia ?

**sharon sanders** · April 3, 2010, 07:01 AM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Originally posted by RoRo View Post

From DCH Press release March 24th;

Rhonda M. Medows, MD, Commissioner Sonny Perdue, Governor
H1N1 Hospitalizations and Deaths on the Rise in GeorgiaWednesday, March 24, 2010 Contact: Ravae Graham (404) 656-7989

ATLANTA - Now is not the time to drop our guard on H1N1 vaccinations, said state officials from the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) at a press conference today at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston Hospital. There have been a total of 1,012 H1N1 hospitalizations and 72 influenza associated deaths in Georgia since April 2009. Children are one of the most vulnerable populations affected by H1N1, and it is vitally important that some of them receive the required two doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

Page not found

http://dch.georgia.gov/00/press/detail/0,2668,31446711_31450193_157887077,00.html

Edit: Just read JimO's comment above. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing. I would like to see the cumulative table back on the DCS website though, just to see....

Yes, I would also.

**Ronan Kelly** · April 3, 2010, 05:08 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Georgia's week 12 influenza summary report:

Page not found

http://www.health.state.ga.us/epi/graphs/Influenza%20weekly%20report-2009.doc

extract;

The numbers of hospitalizations is consistent with those given in post 5 which were gathered from the summary tables located here: http://dch.georgia.gov/00/article/0,...819895,00.html

Again they do not include the reported 80 hospitalizations for week 10 and 72 hospitalizations for week 11. Does any body have a saved official document which included the numbers 80 and 72?

**Ronan Kelly** · April 3, 2010, 05:59 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Also the numbers from post 1 add up to 1055, not 1012. Georgia is having basic math problems.

**JimO** · April 3, 2010, 07:13 PM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

I hope they sort it out soon. However, I'm pretty convinced that the 61 deaths reported are only confirmed Pandemic AH1N1. Early in the fall, there were deaths reported in the media that were either never reflected in the Georgia numbers or there was a long lag before they showed up on the website. That tells me that they were waiting for lab confirmation. When I was counting media reported deaths, I was always about 10 ahead of the state's total, but when media attention waned I had a hard time keeping up with the count, so I defaulted to using the state's number. The higher number (72) would not be surprising because it reflects a population-based death rate of less than 8 deaths per million, which is below average for the U.S. Florida's rate is ~12, NC's is ~11, SC's and Alabama's are ~10, and Mississippi's is ~9. Out west they are even higher (CA ~18).

**Ronan Kelly** · April 6, 2010, 09:33 AM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

4 days later, still;

"H1N1 Hospitalizations and Deaths in Georgia
This information is currently being updated. Please check back later."

Page not found

http://dch.georgia.gov/00/channel_title/0,2094,31446711_148304655,00.html

**sharon sanders** · April 6, 2010, 09:50 AM

Re: Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Thanks everyone for watching this.

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Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

Georgia hospitalizations highest since September

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