To: torstars
I thought so,this may be a long winter. :(
123 posted on
12/10/2003 5:21:14 PM PST by
Free Trapper
(One with courage is often a majority)
To: Free Trapper
Yes, the update by WHO shows that most of the problems in Europe and North America are due to Fujian and getting one of the other strains probably won't help much.
Fujian clearly was in the US last season because A/Wyoming/3/2003 was isolated last Feb and it clearly is Fujian-like. The virus really began to take off over the summer, when it was rapidly spreading in the southern hemisphere. Australia and New Zealand had particularly severe outbreaks, which were primarily Fujian (all sequences deposited so far isolated in 2003 from Australian, South Africa, US, and Oslo are Fujian).
It has taken hold in the northern hemisphere, and none of the countries in Europe or North America will benefit this season from the vaccine in production, which includes a Fujian-like isolate because it won't be ready until the current season in the north is over.
To: Free Trapper
The list keeps growing:
College student dies from flu; strain of virus being tested
The Associated Press
WORCESTER, Mass. --
A Worcester State College student has died from the flu, but state public health officials do not yet know if it was the strain of influenza that has killed children in Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Dr. Al DeMaria, the state's director of communicable disease control, said the student was diagnosed with strain A-type influenza. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is testing to see if it was the so-called "Fujian" strain.
DeMaria said influenza is becoming widespread in Massachusetts and needs to be taken seriously.
New England Cable News reported the student, a Winthrop resident, died at Massachusetts General Hospital on Tuesday.
State health officials are urging all people over 65 and those between six months and 23 months to get a flu vaccine.
DeMaria says several hundred people die each year from influenza in Massachusetts, and 36,000 will died nationwide.
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