Flu spreads across U.S., but no new confirmed Nevada cases

By Mary Manning

Published Wednesday, May 6, 2009 | 11:18 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, May 6, 2009 | 3:01 p.m.

A novel strain of flu, earlier called swine flu, continues to spread throughout the United States, but no new cases have been confirmed in Nevada, federal, state and local health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1,487 probable and confirmed cases of H1N1 in 44 states, said Dr. Richard Besser, acting CDC director today.

Nevada is reporting five confirmed flu cases, three in Reno in the same family, and two in Clark County who had no ties to each other before they became ill, health officials said. There are five additional cases from Clark County awaiting federal tests.

"This remains a dynamic situation," Besser said. "We remain concerned."

Around the country 35 people are hospitalized with the flu, including a 39-year-old woman in Southern Nevada, health officials said. The woman is hospitalized at the St. Rose Dominican Hospital, San Martin campus on Warm Springs Road between Durango Road and the 215 Beltway, said hospital spokeswoman Sasha Jackowich.

Another 17 patients hospitalized nationwide are considered probably cases. Seven of those in the hospital had pre-existing conditions that would make them more vulnerable to the unusual flu strain, Besser said.

The 39-year-old Henderson woman became critically ill after developing symptoms of the flu on April 24, health officials said. She is improving and remains hospitalized.

The average age of those in hospital is 15 years, which is unusual for influenza, which usually impacts the very young and very old, Besser said. Elderly people may have a built-in immunity from previous exposure to flu, he said.

An 11-year-old boy is one of the two Clark County residents confirmed to have the flu. He is a military dependent and a student at Findlay Middle School, according to Nellis Air Force Base and Clark County School District officials.

The middle school student had a mild case of the flu and is recovering and may return to the classroom this week, officials said.

A Nellis official said the boy was a military dependent and his family members had been tested and found not to have the H1N1 virus.

Until Tuesday, Nevada had one confirmed flu case in Reno, a 2-year-old girl who has recovered. One of the new Reno flu cases confirmed Tuesday is the mother of the 2-year-old girl and a younger sibling who did not attend the same daycare center as the toddler, said Judy Davis, spokeswoman for the Washoe County Health District.

Officials at the Southern Nevada Health District along with federal investigators are watching the progress of the flu that combines bird, swine and human influenza viruses in a new way.

Brian Labus, chief epidemiologist at the Southern Nevada Health District, said local health officials will track developments in the spread of this new flu throughout the summer. "It's a long process," he said.

By fall health officials said this flu could fizzle, stay the same or return in a new form.

"I wish I could predict what we're going to see in the fall," Besser said. He said that health officials expect to see more school outbreaks, increasing reports of the illness in the states and more hospital deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control is sending experts to California and Texas to try and understand how the flu spreads, besides through droplets in coughs and sneezes, Besser said.

A 23-month-old Mexican boy became the first death from the flu when he died in a Texas hospital while visiting relatives last.

A 33-year-old Texas schoolteacher became the first United States citizen to die from the H1N1 flu, health officials said. She had just given birth and lived in a town close to the Mexican border.

So far the nation reports six confirmed and five probably H1N1 cases in pregnant women, Besser said. Although this does not pose an increase in influenza among pregnant women, they are at greater risk from the flu, he said.

The World Health Organization is reporting 1,500 flu cases in 22 countries with Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom reporting the most cases after Mexico and the United States.

Last week WHO raised the pandemic threat level to five, the level next to declaring a pandemic. Besser said evidence of the disease spreading to more countries could raise the WHO's level to a six.

"I'd be surprised if we didn't get to level six," Besser said.