N.C.'s flu disaster plan 10/5/2004 3:45 PM By: News 14 Carolina Staff The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has a flu disaster plan. Officials are preparing to respond to a possible worldwide flu pandemic. A pandemic is illness and death worldwide, caused by a resistant flu strain. Researchers are working on developing vaccines. Health officials said people can help by getting their flu shot and limiting travel during a flu epidemic. North Carolina predicts a pandemic would cost an estimated one million doctor visits, 22,000 hospitalizations and almost 5,000 deaths.