Latest Update on H1N1 Swine Flu as of February 13, 2010
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention has reported that almost 57 million Americans, or more than 18 percent of the population, has at some point contracted the H1N1 swine flu. For many, the symptoms were so mild that they did not realize they had contracted the swine flu. Unfortunately, some 11,690 Americans have died from the H1N1 swine flu and nearly 260,000 Americans had to be hospitalized from the H1N1 swine flu. Of these numbers, adults age 18 to 64 were hit the hardest, accounting for 76 percent of the deaths and 58 percent of the hospitalizations. This is in contrast to the seasonal flu where 90 percent of the deaths and 60 percent of the hospitalizations are typically among percents 65 years or older. The H1N1 swine flu thus far has come in two waves, one last spring and one this past fall. While there are concerns that there might be a third wave this winter, this seems less likely as 70 million Americans have now been immunized against the H1N1 swine flu and there have only been 500 deaths since December 11, 2009.
