Although the current wave of A/ H1N1 flu continues to wane, deaths of the new virus in the United States continue to be higher than expected for this time of year, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday.
"During week 49 (ending on Dec. 12), 7.6 percent of all deaths reported through the 122-Cities Mortality Reporting System were due to pneumonia and influenza (P&I). This percentage was above the epidemic threshold of 7.2 percent for week 49," the CDC said on its website.
"Including week 49, the proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) has been above the epidemic threshold for 11 consecutive weeks," the CDC said in its latest weekly report, adding that it "remains elevated for this time of year."
The latest statistics released by the CDC show that, from Aug. 30 to Dec. 12, 2009, there were 35,309 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and 1,567 laboratory- confirmed influenza-associated deaths, including 212 of young patients under the age of 18, that have been reported to the federal agency.
But health officials believe that the actual death toll has been much higher than the figures of laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated deaths.
Last week, CDC officials reported that A/H1N1 flu has sickened nearly 50 million Americans, sent more than 200,000 people to the hospital and killed nearly 10,000 -- more than 8,000 of them children and young adults.
"We estimate there have been nearly 50 million cases, mostly in younger adults and children, and more than 200,000 hospitalizations which is about the same number that there is in a usual flu season for the entire year," Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the CDC director, said at a press conference, adding that means 15 percent of the entire U.S. population have been infected with
A/ H1N1 influenza.
"The estimates are actually much more accurate than the confirmed numbers," Dr. Frieden said. "The number of confirmed deaths is really just a small proportion of the number of total deaths."
So far the hardest-hit have been two groups -- children and young adults as well as the Native American and Alaskan Native populations.
Among those who have died since the new virus first surfaced in April, an estimated 1,100 were children and 7,500 were young adults, according to the statistics released by the CDC.
A/H1N1 flu has also been particularly virulent among the Native American and Alaskan Native populations.
"The death rate is about four times higher for this group. This is most likely largely a reflection of environmental factors and underlying conditions -- like diabetes and asthma -- that are more common, and access to health care, rather than a genetic or racial/ ethnic difference," said the CDC director.
On the whole, the CDC said on Friday that the A/H1N1 flu infections continue to be on the wane nationally.
The latest report shows that only 11 U.S. states are now reporting widespread flu activity, down from 14 in the previous week and from 25 the
week before.
Meanwhile, the supply of A/H1N1 vaccine continues to grow. There are now nearly 100 million doses of vaccine available, up another 15 million doses from last week.
U.S. Health officials said on Thursday that the downward trend of A/H1N1 flu activity and steady increase of the supply of the A/ H1N1 flu
vaccine means that "this is a good window of opportunity (for the Americans) to get vaccinated."
"We have a chance to lessen the impact or even prevent a big third wave when flu season really hits, and need to seize that opportunity now," said Kathleen Sebelius, Health and Human Services Secretary, at a press conference.
The first wave of the A/H1N1 pandemic began in April, when the strain was discovered. A larger wave started in the late summer. Though the second wave seems to have peaked, health experts stressed that it's too soon to say it's over.
They point out there's plenty of illness going around the country, and the 1957 pandemic ebbed in the fall only to bounce back in January and February.
"We have an ebbing second wave, but an uncertain future," Frieden said. "We don't know how many cases there will be between now, which is traditionally the beginning of the flu season, and May, when flu season traditionally ends."
"This is around the time of the year we might begin to see that (flu activity) pick up in December, January, and February," he explained.
With 100 million doses of the A/H1N1 flu vaccine available nationwide, local reports show that nearly half the U.S. states have lifted restrictions on who can get vaccinated, and more will rapidly with the additional supplies, which have reached pharmacy chains in parts of the country.
On Wednesday, Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. said it is offering the A/H1N1 flu vaccinations in 27 states and the District of Columbia.
The company also said it plans to have the A/H1N1 flu vaccine available in all 50 states by the end of the year. Frieden, time and again, advises more Americans to get vaccinated, saying that the vaccination is the best way to protect people against the new virus.
"The more people who are vaccinated, the more people who will be protected from influenza, the fewer cases we'll have in the future, the less likely we will be to have a third wave or more cases in the weeks and months to come," he explained.