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April 26, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Flu Outbreak Emptying Schools"

Anchorage Daily News (www.adn.com) (04/24/02) P. B1; Potempa, Ann

Anchorage, Alaska, is experiencing a second wave of a flu outbreak that includes both the A H1N1 strain and an increasing number of type B cases, according to state virologist Don Ritter. The state Section of Epidemiology recorded almost 700 cases of flu in Alaska between the end of October and early January; the strain in that outbreak was A H3N2.  Then, in early March, after weeks without reports of flu, Ritter started noticing an increasing number of positive cultures in Anchorage, including over 30 cases of influenza type B.  First Care Medical Center has reported 43 cases of the flu since April, and the Spenard clinic reported 37 cases; getting an exact number of cases is difficult, because doctors are not required to report it to state officials, and some people never get tested.  Ritter is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine if the influenza B strain is present in this year's flu vaccine.  If it is present, he recommends that patients at high risk receive the immunization.

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