New statistics show difference between H1N1 and seasonal flu
November 17, 2009 by Fred HosierPosted in: Illnesses, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, New safety statistics, swine flu
PDF The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates almost 4,000 deaths in the U.S. were related to swine flu between April and mid-October.
The agency also reports that 22 million swine flu cases occurred during the same period.
In an average flu season, flu contributes to the deaths of about 36,000 people, with 90% age 65 or older. Many of them have other underlying health conditions.
That’s not been the case with H1N1. The vast majority of deaths have been in people age 18 to 64, and about 25% of them were healthy before contracting the virus.
Of the 4,000 total deaths, about 540 have been children age 17 and under.
Key message: We’ve got at least four more months to go in the flu season this year. H1N1 has just started to show the impact it can have. Employees still have to heed warnings to wash their hands frequently and stay out of work if they have flu symptoms and a fever.
SafetyNewsAlert.com delivers the latest Safety news once a week to the inboxes of over 270,000 Safety professionals.
Click here to sign up and start your FREE subscription to SafetyNewsAlert!
Tags: flu deaths, H1N1, swine flu
Loading ...
November 17th, 2009 at 10:40 am
The Swine Flu hype is getting a little out of hand. Its tragic when someone dies unexpectedly from the flu, or any other disease. But based on the numbers in the article the death rate is 0.02%. That’s one in every 5,000 cases who dies. Unless 200 million people get the “regular” flu every year, the death rate is higher with that than the dreaded H1N1. Half of the members of my family have had H1N1, and the doctors have reassured us that for most people it is just going to be like the seasonal flu. I wish the media would stop scaring people and inducing a panic!
November 24th, 2009 at 9:25 am
They have to panic the people. They have been screaming pandemic for the last five years. Just like the year of the shark in Florida where every other day we heard of an attack.Truth was it was actually a much lighter year for attacks than normal, the press had nothing else to blow out of proportion. As far as healthy people suffering fatal H1N1 infections, I dont know how they know, in the age group 18 to to 64, 25% wear healthy prior to contracting H1N1. The majority of the younger group in this age group dont visit the doctor on a regulare basis, and how many times doe a seamingly health teen or young adult keal over suddenly from undetectect heart or other conditions. I dont understand how they could say they were healthy prior to the illness.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Let’s see: 4,000 deaths over a seven-month period would equal about 6,850 deaths over the remainder of the flu season - far lower than the 36,000 deaths from regular flu in a normal year.
This is all media driven hype. Get over it people. Practice good hygiene, but don’t fall for the hype. We’ll all be OK if the media and the politicians stay out of our lives.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:47 am
I’m in COMPLETE AGREEMENT. Social Engineering or Sensationalized Tabloid Media, take your pick. It is infortunate how effective these tactics are in dumbing down our citizens.
The numbers reported here seem to be very consistent with the results reported from the Southern Hemisphere who just finished up their flu season. Funny how the big picture and whole truth are less important than a well manipulated story to fill under a Sensational Headline.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:53 am
I agree! The “Swine Flu”, H1N1-2009, has needlessly caused histeria all over the country and has been toted by doctors early in the season as a “non-lethal” strain which will be about as bad as the seasonal flu, which is actually labled H1N1. Most of the cases that I have seen or heard of seem to be normal symptoms except, the more serious cases in our area seem to develop a broncial infection and that is when the symptoms appear get much worse. I dont want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I have to wonder if the hype that has been emphisized is to aid someones political agenda? That aside it appears that the seasonal flu is more lethal than the swine flu.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Notice the spin of all of these articles.
“Many of them have other underlying health conditions” with all of the seasonal flu deaths, but “25%” of H1N1 deaths were healthy. Wouldn’t that mean also that “MANY” also have underlying conditions, at least 75%?
And the deaths were at around 1,000 a couple weeks ago, until the CDC decided to magically quadruple the number overnight. So they just happened to spend so much attention every day since March on H1N1, yet they just “missed” 75% of the deaths?? I don’t buy it. Could it be that people were not buying into the hype? And since the CDC is a governmental agency, and the governement is spending $9B on “fighting” H1N1, they aren’t getting there money’s worth?
Do some global research on the flu to see the truth since every article in America is spun in this fashion.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
The CDC and it’s advocates have to keep people worked up otherwise their funding will evaporate.
Another great “epidemic” being foisted on the US population is “obesity” along with all the requisite hand wringing, demands for funding, shrill outbursts about our “culture of obesity” etc.
Check out your BMI. Chances are you’re either overweight or obese. Of course this is just cause for self flagellation and denial of social acceptance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity
November 25th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I didn’t believe the hype either at first. In the last month our company has been hit hard with this flu type virus. I personally spent a week at home with 103 degrees temp and unable to anything, but drink water and take Advil. It was the only med that relieved the incredible pain the racked through my body. I’ve never been this sick in 11-1/2 years and hope I never get this sick again. Another safety officer I know is fighting for her life right now with a virus they haven’t been able to identify. She is in critical condition and it has affected her whole bodily functions, respiratory, circulation, temperature. She is in isolation and we are trying to figure out where she went on jobsites, etc. before she became ill. She was healthy before this.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Hey Cindy were you tested and diagnosed as h1n1. You also state you know someone fighting for thier life, i am truely sorry for that, but just to be clear, you say they havent identified the cause so does this mean that h1n1 has been ruled out. I am just wanting the facts on h1n1.