Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/02/news-scan-feb-21-2020
News Scan for Feb 21, 2020
US flu activity decreases; More polio in Pakistan
Filed Under:
Influenza, General; H3N2v Influenza; H1N1 2009 Pandemic Influenza; Polio
[h=3]Though flu activity still high, CDC notes decreases in some flu markers[/h] After a month-long rise, US flu levels dropped last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly FluView report. But most regions are still experiencing elevated influenza activity, and 13 more pediatric deaths were recorded, raising the 2019-20 flu season total to 105.
Some flu markers, including rates of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) dropped last week, to 6.1%, compared with the previous week's 6.7%. The percentage of specimens positively identified as influenza also dropped slightly, from 30.8% to 29.6%.
The number of jurisdictions reporting high ILI activity remained the same as noted last week, 46. The number of jurisdictions reporting regional or widespread flu dropped from 51 to 48.
"Key indicators that track flu activity remain high but decreased slightly this week. Indicators that track overall severity (hospitalizations and deaths) are not high at this point in the season," the CDC said. The cumulative hospitalization rate was 47.4 per 100,000 population, similar to what has been seen in other flu seasons, even though it was up from 41.9 per 100,000 the week before.
As has been the trend in recent weeks, detections of influenza A outpaced influenza B, with public health labs confirming that 64.9% of positive specimens were influenza A and 35.1% were influenza B. Of the subtyped influenza A specimens, 96.0% were 2009 H1N1, and 4.0% were H3N2. Influenza B/Victoria accounted for 98.4% of B viruses detected.
Yesterday the CDC released interim estimates of 2019-20 flu vaccine effectiveness, which showed protection was 45% overall and 55% in children.
Feb 21 CDC FluView
Feb 20 CIDRAP News story "At midseason, flu vaccine yields 45% protection in US, 58% in Canada"
[h=3]Pakistan reports 5 new wild poliovirus cases; other cases noted in Africa[/h] According to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) today, Pakistan recorded five new wild poliovirus cases, and three African countries—Angola, Ethiopia, and Ghana—tracked vaccine-derived cases.
Four of the Pakistani cases were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and one was seen in Balochistan province. This brings the number of cases in 2020 to 17 and 144 for 2019, the GPEI said.
In Angola, one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case was recorded in Luanda. Angola confirmed 115 cVDPV2 cases from seven outbreaks in 2019.
In Ghana, two cVDPV2 cases were reported in Ashanti region, with one being the first 2020 case. The country's 2019 total now stands at 13.
Finally, Ethiopia reported its second cVDPV2 case of the year, in Oromia state.
Feb 21 GPEI report
News Scan for Feb 21, 2020
US flu activity decreases; More polio in Pakistan
Filed Under:
Influenza, General; H3N2v Influenza; H1N1 2009 Pandemic Influenza; Polio
[h=3]Though flu activity still high, CDC notes decreases in some flu markers[/h] After a month-long rise, US flu levels dropped last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly FluView report. But most regions are still experiencing elevated influenza activity, and 13 more pediatric deaths were recorded, raising the 2019-20 flu season total to 105.
Some flu markers, including rates of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) dropped last week, to 6.1%, compared with the previous week's 6.7%. The percentage of specimens positively identified as influenza also dropped slightly, from 30.8% to 29.6%.
The number of jurisdictions reporting high ILI activity remained the same as noted last week, 46. The number of jurisdictions reporting regional or widespread flu dropped from 51 to 48.
"Key indicators that track flu activity remain high but decreased slightly this week. Indicators that track overall severity (hospitalizations and deaths) are not high at this point in the season," the CDC said. The cumulative hospitalization rate was 47.4 per 100,000 population, similar to what has been seen in other flu seasons, even though it was up from 41.9 per 100,000 the week before.
As has been the trend in recent weeks, detections of influenza A outpaced influenza B, with public health labs confirming that 64.9% of positive specimens were influenza A and 35.1% were influenza B. Of the subtyped influenza A specimens, 96.0% were 2009 H1N1, and 4.0% were H3N2. Influenza B/Victoria accounted for 98.4% of B viruses detected.
Yesterday the CDC released interim estimates of 2019-20 flu vaccine effectiveness, which showed protection was 45% overall and 55% in children.
Feb 21 CDC FluView
Feb 20 CIDRAP News story "At midseason, flu vaccine yields 45% protection in US, 58% in Canada"
[h=3]Pakistan reports 5 new wild poliovirus cases; other cases noted in Africa[/h] According to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) today, Pakistan recorded five new wild poliovirus cases, and three African countries—Angola, Ethiopia, and Ghana—tracked vaccine-derived cases.
Four of the Pakistani cases were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and one was seen in Balochistan province. This brings the number of cases in 2020 to 17 and 144 for 2019, the GPEI said.
In Angola, one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case was recorded in Luanda. Angola confirmed 115 cVDPV2 cases from seven outbreaks in 2019.
In Ghana, two cVDPV2 cases were reported in Ashanti region, with one being the first 2020 case. The country's 2019 total now stands at 13.
Finally, Ethiopia reported its second cVDPV2 case of the year, in Oromia state.
Feb 21 GPEI report