NYC Mayor Fears Swine Flu may Spread in Summer Playgrounds
Health officials in New York City said on Friday that the cases of new H1N1 flu virus started declining in the city, which is worst hit by the pandemic virus of all the cities earlier.
But Mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed concerns that school children are prone to this virus, as carriers to the playgrounds in July and August, during the holidays.
The statistics are New York turned out highest rate of swine flue cases – three more deaths reported on Friday, taking the total to 16 deaths and 567 hospitalization – as United States has 1,000 hospitalizations with HIN1 cases, to become the country most affected overall.
Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner, expressed in a statement his concern about every hospitalization with the flu virus and deaths causing tragedy. However he was complacent that the surveillance data indicates declining trend of new cases of infection.
Meanwhile, a declaration by The World Health Organization released on Thursday, on a full pandemic of H1N1 virus infection, says after confirmation that the illness by the virus is spreading out of control in Australia as well, along with North America. Although according to WHO the virus is only “moderate”, US health officials project that the virus-infection has caused havoc on hundreds of thousands of people.
Back-history of the swine flu virus is it was identified in two US children first in April, a bunch of cases associated with one School in New York and then spread all over the New York city, which has more than 8 million people. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statement on Thursday, the highest activity of H1N1 flu virus is observed at States of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
So far the CDC has 17,855 confirmed cases of H1N1 virus and 45 deaths reported, but apprehended that the actual numbers of affected cases will be far higher, since most of the patients are not either tested or many cases with the virus would not have visited doctors.
Mayor Bloomberg commented that New York also witnessed a surge of cases worried-well – people with fear of the infection and disease, contacting emergency rooms and clinics, when there is no basis for their fears. The Mayor went on a weekly radio show to assuage people, with the good news that the worried-well are fewer now with number of hospital visits being down and the numbers of kids seeking help from the school nurses with symptoms of fever are also less.
Last month the CDC officials were of the view that flu season ends usually in April, but the past outbreaks of instances of flu virus have been associated with activities of kids in summer, in the summer camps. Mayor Bloomberg apprehends this may be the case in New York this year. He said that kids congregate in summer in many and different ways and the danger is high during summer, since kids from different locations get together during this season.
The holidays for public schools will begin on 27th June in New York City.
WHO and CDS officials anticipate that H1N1 virus activity will reduce during the hot summer in North America, but at the same time caution about the unpredictable nature of these viruses. It is also note worthy that people below 45 years will be affected by this virus, just like similar H1N1 viruses and other flu viruses.
In the case of other pandemic viruses they begin with mild epidemics in spring season, but cause serious diseases when cool weather returns months later.
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