Control Measures to Limit Dissemination of Influenza
•Covering mouth/nose with a tissue when coughing
•Post signs that promote respiratory/cough hygiene in common areas
•Hand hygiene after contact with respiratory secretions
•Make hand sanitizers available to your staff
•If feasible, screen personnel for cough or fever before they come on duty
•Ill workers should be advised to stay home

* Disease likely persists through summer in US, possible surge in late August when school returns
* Monitor closely for genetic and antigenic virus changes
* Expected higher attack rate (20-30%) than in spring (6-15%), notably affecting younger individuals
* Vaccine availability possibly mid October, Federal funds for distribution and administration are available
* Healthcare facility support in part from HPP grants
* SNS Antiviral stocks likely to be distributed
* Drifted H3N2 may co-circulate with novel H1N1

Gold Coast

• Media are reporting concerns about the imminent arrival of almost 1,000 organ recipients on the Gold Coast for the World Transplant Games. The Local Organising Committee Chairman is said to be negotiating with a health provider to set up a flu clinic at the Games. [couriermail.com.au, 4/8/09]

• Queensland Health has had extensive correspondence with the United Kingdom Organising Committee for the Transplant Games regarding the event. The Organising Committee concluded it would continue with the Games as planned.

Townsville HSD reported a youth at Cleveland Detention Centre was displaying influenza like symptoms. The inmate was swabbed, isolated and commenced on Tamiflu, with ten further courses of Tamiflu supplied to the Centre’s nurse. Two further suspected cases have been swabbed, administered Tamiflu and isolated. On Tnesday, 04 Angnst 2009, Townsville HSD reported two positive cases of Pandemic (HlNl) 2009 at the facility.

This report is based on the most recent and accurate available information at the time of preparation. Given the rapidly changing nature of the incident, readers should be aware of the potential requirement for later confirmation or clarification.

In a contest that pits human against virus, the U.S. government is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of swine flu vaccine in hopes of having millions of doses ready for use before the next wave of the pandemic H1N1 sweeps across the nation. This week the virus struck first, infecting a handful of students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; an additional 25 to 30 are awaiting results of a swine flu test.

One of the main battlegrounds in the fight against an expected resurgence of swine flu this fall will be the schoolyard, a place where the disease could, well, go viral. People between 6 months and 24 years old appear to be particularly vulnerable to the swine flu virus, known as H1N1.

The Denver Sheriff Department operational mission is to ensure a safe environment for employees, the public and inmates in our custody during this event. Our goals will be to:

* Limit the number of illnesses and deaths within our facilities and community
* Preserve continuity of essential government function
* Minimize fiscal impact on the City and County of Denver

The global A/H1N1 swine flu pandemic has claimed 1,154 lives since the outbreak was identified in April, data published by the World Health Organization showed Wednesday. The Geneva-based health agency also said that the number of laboratory-confirmed cases stood at 162,380 worldwide as of July 31.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc is discussing with U.S. health officials the possibility of putting vaccination sites at some of its stores for anH1N1 swine flu inoculation campaign this fall, a company official said on Thursday. Federal officials met with Wal-Mart executives on Wednesday in Arkansas to discuss the issue, Dr. John Agwunobi, president of health and wellness for Wal-Mart U.S., told public health leaders at a conference in Orlando.

Leadership roles and responsibilities for an influenza pandemic need to be clarified, tested, and exercised, and existing coordination mechanisms, such as critical infrastructure coordinating councils, could be better utilized to address challenges in coordination between the federal, state, and local governments and the private sector in preparing for a pandemic.

The new H1N1 influenza virus bears a disturbing resemblance to the virus strain that caused the 1918 flu pandemic, with a greater ability to infect the lungs than common seasonal flu viruses, researchers reported on Monday. Tests in several animals confirmed other studies that have shown the new swine flu strain can spread beyond the upper respiratory tract to go deep into the lungs — making it more likely to cause pneumonia, the international team said.

The Surgeon General, with the approval of the Secretary, is authorized to make and enforce such regulations as in his judgment are necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the States or possessions, or from one State or possession into any other State or possession. For purposes of carrying out and enforcing such regulations, the Surgeon General may provide for such inspection, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, pest extermination, destruction of animals or articles found to be so infected or contaminated as to be sources of dangerous infection to human beings, and other measures, as in his judgment may be necessary.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 361(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264(b)), it is hereby ordered as follows Based upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Surgeon General, and for the purpose set forth in section 1 of Executive Order 13295 of April 4, 2003, section 1 of such order is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: (c) Influenza caused by novel or reemergent influenza viruses that are causing, or have the potential to cause, a pandemic.

Recent involvement by the U.S. military with hurricane relief and comments by the President on expanding the DOD’s role in disaster relief indicates increased missions for an already stretched military. The next national disaster facing the U.S. could be an influenza pandemic. The bird flu virus H5N1 currently threatening Asia and Europe can potentially mutate into a deadly human influenza pandemic with global consequences. The last major flu pandemic in 1918 killed 50 million people worldwide and 600,000 in the U.S. alone. The United States is not prepared for a human pandemic and the military will have a significant role in any national response. While some departmental level planning has been accomplished recently, interdepartmental coordination and clear identification of the lead federal agency is still lacking. This project explains possible effects of a pandemic on the U.S. and current responsibilities of federal departments involved in disaster relief. Analysis is presented on the evolving role the DOD plays should this event become reality and finally recommends preparations that should be accomplished to prepare the nation for this very real threat. An ad-hoc approach to a pandemic will have severe negative and far reaching affects on our nation and must be avoided.