Chicago’s first H1N1 outbreak hit some communities harder than others
Alden K. Loury on 10.13.09
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-muckrakers/2009/10/chicagos-first-h1n1-outbreak-hit-some-communities-harder-than-others.html
As Chicagoans gear up for the flu season and another battle with the H1N1 virus, the city’s first outbreak this past spring shows that some parts of the city could be more vulnerable than others.
There were 1,557 laboratory-confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in Chicago from April to July, according to an August report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Chicago Department of Public Health reported the city’s first cases of H1N1, often referred to as the swine flu, on April 28. Within a week, Rogers Park in the northeastern corner of the city and Hedgewisch in the city’s southeastern corner reported the highest rates of infection—at least 30 cases per 100,000 residents, according to the CDC report. The infections spread fast, the report’s authors noted. “By May 23, the fifth week of the outbreak, cases had been reported in 68 of Chicago’s 77 community areas.” The report included the graphic below. The darkest areas reflect the highest rates of infection based on laboratory-confirmed cases per 100,000 residents.
As the graphic shows, H1N1 hit hardest in three general parts of the city, the far North Side, the Southeast Side and in the central part of the city stretching from the Near South Side along the lake to the North Lawndale community on the West Side.
PA:
Pittston Area Prepares for School
By Andy Palumbo
6:40 AM EDT, October 13, 2009
http://www.wnep.com/wnep-luz-pitts-area-back-to-school,0,7703539.story
School is back in session at Pittston Area school district in Luzerne County after last week’s swine flu scare.
Classes here were cancelled Friday because so many students were sick with the flu. Monday was the Columbus Day holiday so Tuesday is the day things are supposed to be back to normal.
On Friday, the Pittston Area school district closed. Students were told to stay home because hundreds of students failed to show up last week. They were sick with the flu, many believed to have the H1N1 virus, or the swine flu.
The school buildings were disinfected. District personnel reasoned that if the students weren’t together, it would lessen the chances of the flu spreading.
The Friday night football game was postponed, because so many Patriots were sick. The game was played Monday night. The flu-delayed game gave some in the stands opportunity to poke fun at the situation. We spotted a pig mask and some anti-germ face masks in the crowd.
An illness-delayed game was new territory for the Pittston Area coach and the Hazleton fans.
“I’ve never dealt with this. You have two or three kids sick at a time, but never this many,” said Pittston Area head coach Tony Donato.
“If Pittston Area was able to catch it in time, even if there’s just a couple cases, it’s better to know it than not to have any idea,” said Peter Domin of West Hazleton.
Pittston Area lost to Hazleton 47-0.