It’s been a month since the H1N1 flu first became a media headline and the scientific community continues to learn more about the nature of the virus and its attendant illness. As of May 19, 2009, the WHO reports 9,830 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu worldwide. 89% of these confirmed cases are from the United States and Mexico. Eight deaths have been confirmed in the United States.

When asked about changing the level of the pandemic to a Level 6, Dr. Chan, Director General of the WHO, stated that the original pandemic alert protocols were developed for flu viruses with high associated mortality rates. Japan recently reported 51 confirmed H1N1 flu cases and by any standard we are presently at Phase 6. However, because the H1N1 flu is not much different from the seasonal flu, there is reluctance within the WHO to change the alert level for the time being.

Cases continue to be seen mostly in young people for two primary reasons:

• This age group tends to be more social.
• Exposure to earlier viruses seems to be imparting protection to those older than 40 years.

With new clusters of illness in Japan and other Asian countries emerging, travelers from North America going to these countries are warned they may face quarantines and delays both in the country of arrival and in returning to the country of origin. AllOne Health recommends seeking advice from your hosts at your destination and consider rescheduling trips that can be reasonably delayed.

While the pace of new information has been slow in the past week, AllOne Health will continue to keep you updated on this situation at its website, http://www.allonehealth.com/. As experts in pandemic flu preparedness, AllOne Health can assist you with any questions you have about preparing your organization for a pandemic.