H1N1 in reverse
H1N1 has become so common in the United States every state in the continental U.S. has shown widespread activity.
But I notice an interesting turn of events this week. Georgia, one of the first states to report widespread activity, has now dropped to only "regional" H1N1 activity. This suggests that maybe, countrywide, the peak of the first wave of illnesses has passed.
The Post-Bulletin carried a front-page article Thursday (November 5, 2009) that suggests Minnesota may have passed the peak of the first wave. Just because that happens, of course, doesn't mean the pandemic is over. Even if the numbers drop dramatically, those who get sick will still experience the same kinds of symptoms and the risk of death will still be there.
But it's good news that we've made it this far without widespread deaths.
It's also good to get a glimmer that maybe the prevalence of H1N1 will begin to decrease now. Once Georgia reached widespread H1N1 activity, the rest of the states soon followed. Lets hope the same holds true now that Georgia's prevalence of H1N1 has begun to decrease.
Hawaii is the only other state with just regional activity. A CDC spokesperson said recently that she had never seen widespread influenza activity across the entire country. Normally, with seasonal influenza, the map might show widespread activity here and there across the country. Instead, it's been widespread across the entire map.
Let's hope that goes away.
By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists
Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904
Comments