New York State follows the example of the CDC and its reporting is at least a week behind at any given time. In the week ending November 7 2009, flu activity continued to explode in upstate New York.

New York State is reporting the level of this pandemic in several ways. In labs statewide for the week ending November 7, over 4,000 specimens tested positive for the A flu virus, 99% of those testing positive for flu. At the state laboratory, 43 of 45 specimens tested positive for Swine Flu.

The state is also tracking visits to hospital emergency departments for influenza like illnesses (ILI). In the Western Region, including the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Corning and Elmira, the rate was 19.8% of all emergency department visits. This was a 10% increase from the preceding week and a new peak for the year.

The Central New York Region, including the large military base at Fort Drum and the cities of Syracuse and Binghamton had a 19.1% ILI rate. That is an 8% increase from the preceding week and a new peak for the year.

The Capital Region is the area with the highest reported ILI visit rate in the state, 22.5%. That is a 15% percent increase from the previous week and nearly double the rate from two week prior.

The Hudson Valley Region and Long Island have much lower rates though the Hudson Valley is now just above a 10% rate. During the Spring wave of Swine Flu, this region reached a peak of 14% of visits to emergency departments for ILI.

Click for a larger image

The latest report from the New York State Department of Health on the influenza situation outside of New York City shows a dramatic increase in visits to hospital emergency rooms for flu like illnesses in Upstate New York. The October 24 report shows nearly a 50% increase in such visits from the October 17 report. The Hudson Valley and Long Island regions show a much smaller increase.

Here is the article

New York regions defined by NYS Dept of Health

Swine flu continues to spread in New York State. Data compiled by the NYS Department of Health suggests that this fall’s wave of pandemic flu will be larger and affect more people than the spring wave did.

The graph above illustrates the numbers for Flu-like Illness in NYS hospital emergency departments as percentage of total emergency department visits, by Region (3 month snapshot). FLI is the primary indicator being used in NYS, and all of the testing being done demonstrates that pandemic Swine Flu is the overwhelming influenza virus making people sick.

In New York City, the situation seems to be different at this point. After large numbers of Swine Flu cases this past spring, the indicators for the illness are well within normal expectations for this time of year.

For the rest of this article, please visit the Rochester Infectious Disease Examiner.

New York State map of pandemic flu case numbers by county as of 6-26-2009. Click on the image for a larger version.

This table ranks the New York State counties by pandemic flu case count, showing those counties with 10 or more cases. Cities in red are NYC metro. Blue cities are Albany metro.

Here is the latest report from New York State about pandemic swine flu or pandemic novel H1N1. New York City and surrounding counties are in this color. Albany County and surrounding counties are in this color. The city and metro area of Elmira remains without any recorded cases, despite having a prison. Bus loads of people arrive regularly from New York City to visit inmates and it would seem to be an ideal way for the disease to travel.

New York State map showing counties with pandemic swine flu - novel H1N1 cases for June 19 2009

New York State is currently reporting 1,756 recorded cases of pandemic swine flu / novel H1N1. New York City has recorded 1,032 cases. The city’s Department of Health has this to day:

Community transmission of the H1N1 virus appears to be declining in New York City, as emergency departments report lower numbers of visits due to influenza-like illness, the Health Department reported today. As expected, however, hospitalizations and fatalities continue to occur. As of June 19, the Health Department had recorded 748 hospitalizations and 30 deaths. The latest deaths occurred in persons aged 26-64.

The NYC area, the city and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester, have a total of 1,283 cases. Despite the number, the metro New York case count is far less than Chicago / Cook County, or Milwaukee.

In upstate New York, Erie County and Buffalo have recorded 155 cases. Onondaga County and Syracuse have 84 cases. Dutchess County, considered upstate by the “city folk”, has 31 cases. Jefferson County and Fort Drum have 28 cases.

Here is the New York State swine flu / novel H1N1 case update as of June 10, 2009, in the late afternoon.

The media spent a lot of wordage yesterday on mis-characterizing a report issued by the New York City Health Department. Sample headline:

NY Times: 12 Flu Victims Have Died, and Ill May Total 550,000

Here is the link to the report itself. In a telephone poll, enough participants reported influenza like illness (ILI) to suggest that 6.9% of New York City residents may have experienced an ILI. It was a self reported survey and no medical confirmations were done. An ILI is not novel H1N1 or swine flu. In fact, as NYS testing suggested in mid May, up to 88% of the people with an ILI did not have any variant of the influenza virus.

The NY Times has an incorrect headline.

Here is the latest map of NYS counties with H1N1 outbreaks. Upstate, Erie County and Buffalo are running a very close second to Onondaga County and Syracuse. Monroe County and Rochester are running a very distant third.

New York State map of counties with novel H1N1 or swine flu cases as of June 10 2009

New York State has 1,241 cases of novel H1N1 or swine flu. New York City, just the 5 boroughs, has 820 cases. The city and its surrounding counties, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester, have a total case count of 1,009 cases.

1,007 cases of swine flu or novel H1N1 in New York State. 623 cases in New York City and 384 cases outside of the city. NYC and adjoining counties – metro NY – have a total case number of 798.

Onondaga County and Syracuse have retaken the upstate lead in cases from Erie County and Buffalo. Onondaga = 69 cases and Erie County = 66 cases. The nearest upstate county has 10, which is Monroe County and Rochester.

NYS Department of Health
Statement from Richard F. Daines, M.D., Commissioner

Governor Paterson’s decision to activate New York State’s health emergency preparedness plan has enabled us to quickly respond to the H1N1 swine flu outbreak. The Governor has pledged all necessary resources for New York State’s response to this outbreak to mitigate its impact on New Yorkers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received last night the specimens from the three suspect cases of H1N1 in Suffolk, Orange, and Cortland counties.

The State Health Department (the Department) does not yet have confirmatory results from those specimens. We also are waiting for validation of the accuracy of the testing performed by the Department’s Wadsworth Laboratories. Once our testing is validated, New York no longer will need to send specimens to CDC for confirmatory testing, and confirmatory testing for H1N1 will be performed in Wadsworth Laboratories.

Yesterday 23 suspect H1N1 specimens were tested at our Wadsworth Laboratories. Of those, five specimens tested probable for cases of H1N1, with one case each in Suffolk, Nassau, Orange, Monroe, and Chautauqua counties.

These five cases bring the total number of probable cases in New York State outside of New York City to eight.

Of the five new probable cases, the ones in Suffolk and Nassau counties have links to St. Francis Prep School in Queens. The other three cases from Orange, Monroe, and Chautauqua counties have links to Mexico.

Also among these 23 specimens tested yesterday, three were positive for seasonal influenza, two were inconclusive and will be repeated, and 13 were negative for any type of influenza.

Today, New York City reported an additional 16 probable cases. The number of confirmed cases in New York City remains at 49.

These results indicate that seasonal influenza is still circulating in the state. But more than half the suspect specimens submitted for testing were negative for any type of influenza.

Local health departments continue to investigate many suspect cases of H1N1. In fact, outside of New York City, there currently are 89 suspect cases of H1N1 in New York State. As this outbreak continues to evolve, increases in the numbers and location of cases of H1N1 are to be expected.

Not all suspect cases will be sent to the Wadsworth Laboratories for testing. As the outbreak evolves and reports of suspect cases continue, the criteria for testing will change. For example, if H1N1 is identified in a particular county, then no longer will specimens be tested on mildly ill patients in that county.

There are three definitions of cases:

Confirmed cases

Laboratory testing has determined that these are cases due to H1N1.

Probable cases

Lab testing has determined that these are cases likely due to H1N1, but they need confirmatory testing.

Suspect cases

These cases have not been tested but are suspicious for H1N1. Many suspect cases are never tested because it is not necessary for managing mild illness.

The Fabius-Pompey School District in Onondaga County has been closed for the remainder of this week as a result of a student from Cortland County testing positive for H1N1. The district expects to reopen on Monday.

To address the evolving situation with schools, the Department is working with the State Education Department to finalize criteria in the next day or two for school districts to use to evaluate the need for closures.

Yesterday, a health care worker at a nursing home in Orange County was confirmed to have H1N1. That facility is providing anti-viral prophylaxis treatment to all patients and staff and conducting surveillance for additional illness. One ill patient is currently being tested.

The Department continues to work closely and coordinate with CDC and city and county health departments to address the possible spread of H1N1 in New York State. Because of effective planning, the Department has been able to move swiftly to respond to this situation.

All influenza can be serious — and deaths can be expected. Each year on average there are 36,000 seasonal influenza-related deaths in the U.S. – including approximately 2,000 deaths in New York State.

Symptoms of swine flu may include fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting have been reported as symptoms, as well.

Anyone experiencing severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, should seek immediate medical attention. For anyone experiencing mild or moderate symptoms, it is best to consult with a health care provider and recover at home.

The best protection against any influenza is to follow common-sense precautions such as frequent hand-washing, staying home from work or school if you are ill, and covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

For questions about swine flu, call the Department’s hotline at 1-800-808-1987. New York City residents should call 311. Resources are available at www.nyhealth.gov/swineflu.

Health officials said today Monroe County has one probable case of swine flu.

The case involves a young woman who had been to Mexico. She’s had limited contact with people since her return and health officials have told her to stay at home until further notice. The health department has also contacted her household members, who will not be tested unless they show symptoms.

The probable case was tested at the state level and is now being sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing. Local health officials expect results as early as tomorrow.

The county still has seven suspected cases of swine flu. Two of the cases sent to the state for testing earlier this week had negative results, but three new suspected cases were added today.

A suspected case of swine flu was also reported in Genesee County today, as was one in Wyoming County, according to health officials there. But two of four suspected cases in Ontario County tested negative, official said today. These latest reports bring the number of suspected cases in the area to 13, including two in Wayne County.

Democrat & Chronicle

Monroe County may know Friday if it has its first “confirmed” case of H1N1, or the swine flu. Right now there is one probable case and seven other suspected cases.

A young woman who traveled to Cancun, Mexico is the county’s first probable case of the flu. She is at the second step in testing for H1N1 strain. The next step is confirmation.

The Centers for Disease Control is now testing her nose swab to confirm or deny that she indeed has H1N1. The woman is recovering at home from mild symptoms of the flu. She and the 7 other people with suspected cases of swine flu were never hospitalized.

All of them traveled to Mexico or Texas or New York City, places already affected by the flu.

R News

Two Chautauqua County schools will remain closed through the weekend due to a confirmed case of swine flu in a child, while samples from two Niagara County adults are being analyzed at a state laboratory.

Wyoming County health officials said they expect to know by Friday night whether a sample submitted this morning is found to be a strain of swine flu spreading throughout the country.

As of 3 p.m. today, the Erie County Health Department had sent two samples of possible swine flu to the state for further testing. Department spokesman Kevin Montgomery said neither sample appeared probable as of this afternoon.

Genesee County health officials said late this afternoon they have a suspected case and another possible case. [snip]

The Bemus Point Central School District announced that its two schools — Bemus Point Elementary and Maple Grove High — would be closed through the weekend after “a local student has been reported with “probably’ diagnosis of this H1N1 flu virus,” Superintendent Albert M. D’Attilio said in a letter sent home to parents and posted on the district’s website.

The schools were closed to all activities at the end of the school day today and are expected to reopen on Monday.

Buffalo News

The Fabius Pompey School District – 10 miles from Syracuse is closing for the next two days as a precautionary measure after preliminary testing showed a female student with the swine flu.

It’s latest in several suspected cases in New York State.

State officials say they are awaiting final confirmation on their preliminary tests form the federal centers for disease control.

However, local health officials say the student did not need hospitalization and is recovering.

Locally, four possible cases being tested in Lewis County, and three in Oneida County. No reported cases in Herkimer or Otsego Counties.

WKTV Utica