CDC Flu Update

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView.

During the week of September 13-19, 2009, a review of the key indicators found that influenza activity continued to increase in the United States compared to the prior weeks. Below is a summary of the most recent key indicators:

• Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness (ILI) are increasing nationally. Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness are higher than what is expected during this time of year and have increased for six consecutive weeks now. This is very unusual for this time of year.

• Total influenza hospitalization rates for adults and children are similar to or lower than seasonal influenza hospitalization rates depending on age group, but are higher than expected for this time of year.

• The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) based on the 122 Cities Report was low and within the bounds of what is expected at this time of year. However, 49 pediatric deaths related to 2009 H1N1 flu have been reported to CDC since April 2009, including three deaths reported this week.

• Twenty-six states are reporting widespread influenza activity at this time. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. Any reports of widespread influenza activity in September are very unusual.

• Almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far are 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses remain similar to the viruses chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and remain susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir with rare exception.

H1N1 Flu Links for 09/17/09

Here are a few interesting stories related to H1N1 flu.

From The Washington Post: Disaster Plans Being Revised For Swine Flu - Strains on Emergency System Feared

From The Baltimore Sun: Keep Your Family Safe From Swine Flu - Tips for caring for yourself and your kids in the face of H1N1.

And from Yahoo Business website: Microsoft offers online tools for Swine Flu infected kids

Alabama State & Local Planning & Response Activities


Alabama Dept. of Public Health

CDC's H1N1 website

09/02 Tip Of The Day - Best Way Out

In an emergency, do you know the best escape routes to get out of your house? Find at least two ways out of each room. Now write them down - you've got the beginning of a plan.

To make a complete emergency plan, click on this link: Emergency Plan - 1.26 Mb Adobe Acrobat PDF.

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), a nationwide effort sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps. We are pleased to announce that Talladega County EMA is taking part in this nationwide effort to encourage individuals, families and communities to prepare for emergencies.

This year, NPM focuses on changing perceptions about emergency preparedness and will help Americans understand what it truly means to be Ready. Preparedness goes beyond fire alarms, smoke detectors, dead-bolt locks and extra food in the pantry. Being Ready includes: getting an Emergency Supply Kit; making a Family Emergency Plan; being informed about emergencies and their appropriate responses; and getting involved in community efforts such as Citizen Corps.

We’re taking steps as an organization to become educated, trained and better prepared, and we urge you to take time this month to do the same at home. There are simple steps you can take to better prepare yourself and your family. We encourage you to visit FEMA's Ready website for more information and the Citizen Corps website to explore ways that you can get involved in your community.

Are you Ready?

Interesting H1N1 Articles

Check out these articles related to H1N1:

• CDC's Advice to Parents: Swine Flu Shots for All
  
• CDC Readies Internet Barrage To Combat Swine Flu

Other H1N1 links of interest:

• Alabama Dept. of Public Health
  
• Flu.gov
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Storm pics from 07/28/09

These pictures were taken around 5:30 yesterday evening as storms passed through Talladega County. No severe weather was reported but we had some ominus looking clouds just the same.

CNN - Be Ready Camp

CNN did a piece on Be Ready Camp. The camp is held each year at the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. It is a five-day full immersion residential camp for sixth grade students with three sessions during National Preparedness Month in September. This years camp will be Sept. 8-12, 2009.

Enjoy the video and check out the camp. There is still time to get your child considered for camp.

Live Fire Training 07/10-11/2009

The following video was taken during a live fire trianing exercise sponsored by Stemley Volunteer Fire Department and Talladega Fire Department.

After a two hour class held at the new EMA/911 Communications Center, fire personnel got to try their hand at the real thing. This is a 300# LP gas tank fully involved. Check it out.

H1N1 Friday Update

Local Note: There have still been no deaths reported in Alabama due to H1N1 although 400 cases have been reported.

From CDC website:

On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) signaled that a global pandemic of novel influenza A (H1N1) was underway by raising the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6. This action was a reflection of the spread of the new H1N1 virus, not the severity of illness caused by the virus. At the time, more than 70 countries had reported cases of novel influenza A (H1N1) infection and there were ongoing community level outbreaks of novel H1N1 in multiple parts of the world.

Since the WHO declaration of a pandemic, the new H1N1 virus has continued to spread, with the number of countries reporting cases of novel H1N1 nearly doubling. The Southern Hemisphere’s regular influenza season has begun and countries there are reporting that the new H1N1 virus is spreading and causing illness along with regular seasonal influenza viruses. In the United States, significant novel H1N1 illness has continued into the summer, with localized and in some cases intense outbreaks occurring. The United States continues to report the largest number of novel H1N1 cases of any country worldwide, however, most people who have become ill have recovered without requiring medical treatment.

Given ongoing novel H1N1 activity to date, CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this pandemic in the United States over the summer and into the fall and winter. The novel H1N1 virus, in conjunction with regular seasonal influenza viruses, poses the potential to cause significant illness with associated hospitalizations and deaths during the U.S. influenza season.

Click here for complete report.

Associated Links:

Alabama Dept. of Public Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization

First Post

Welcome to the new blog home for the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency. We hope you will find what you are looking for while on our site.


As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact our office @ 256-761-2125.