Change In Pandemic Alert Level Reflects Spread, Not Severity Of H1N1 Flu Virus
Continued Protection Critical to Avoiding Illness
NASHVILLE - Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it has raised the influenza pandemic alert level from phase 5 to phase 6, indicating the beginning of a flu pandemic. A flu pandemic is a global disease outbreak of a new influenza virus, for which people have little or no immunity and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time.
“The announcement of the beginning of a pandemic is not unexpected,” said state Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “The raising of the alert level reflects spread of the illness, not its severity. It will not influence or change any of our response activities in the U.S. or Tennessee. However, we continue to urge all Tennesseans to take the necessary steps to prevent illness.”
As described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the H1N1 virus is contagious and easily spread from person to person. As the upcoming influenza season approaches in the fall and winter months, it is uncertain how this new virus may affect U.S. populations. The Tennessee Department of Health encourages the public to help protect their communities by following simple health and hygiene practices.
The Tennessee Department of Health continues to urge residents to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus through a commonsense approach, including frequent hand washing, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoiding close contact with those who are ill and staying home when sick. The Department also recommends that all eligible Tennesseans receive the flu vaccine come this fall.
“The Department of Health remains in close communication with federal officials, health care providers and other stakeholders, and we will continue to provide new information as it becomes available,” said State Epidemiologist Tim F. Jones, MD. “Individuals should continue to monitor this developing situation and practice basic measures to stay healthy, such as washing hands regularly and staying home when ill.”
To date, there are 114 confirmed cases of the novel H1N1 virus in Tennessee. At present, most of the people who have become sick with novel H1N1 in the United States have not become seriously ill and have recovered without hospitalization. Cases have been confirmed in all 50 states in the U.S., with an official count at more than 13,000 cases, with 27 fatalities. The WHO officially reports nearly 30,000 cases in 74 countries.
For more information on the influenza pandemic alert level, visit the WHO Web site at http://www.who.int/en/.
For more information on the novel H1N1 flu virus and how you can protect your health, visit the Tennessee Department of Health Web site at http://health.state.tn.us/H1N1.htm or the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.