Deadliest flu in a decade: Lethal influenza outbreak ravages US

Published time: January 10, 2013 17:44
Edited time: January 10, 2013 21:44
AFP Photo / Senasa

The US is experiencing its deadliest flu outbreak in a decade, prompting the city of Boston to declare a public health emergency after the virus killed more than a dozen people and left hundreds struggling to fight off the illness.

From Florida to Maine, emergency rooms across the nation are flooded with patients experiencing symptoms of the flu. Last January, Boston had seen only 70 cases of influenza. This year, the numbers have reached 700, with at least 18 dead in Massachusetts – and the number of cases is still on the rise.

“In the last two weeks alone we’ve doubled our number,” Dr. Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission, tells CBS News. “So, if we continue at this rate to see new cases, we’ll have an explosion of flu in the city of Boston. We really need to get ahead of it at this point in time.”

Most states haven’t seen an outbreak this bad since the swine flu plagued the US in 2009. But in some regions, the most recent influenza outbreak has already surpassed the H1N1 outbreak by creating a high number of sick and dying patients.

Nationwide, the number of flu cases has more than doubled in the past month, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared 44 states are experiencing a widespread influenza. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients, with the Lehigh Valley Hospital in Pennsylvania seeing as many as 100 new patients a day that have flu-like symptoms.

Even south Florida has seen an unusually large number of cases, and the illness most recently killed a 6-year-old girl in Texas.

This year’s severe flu season has created a shortage of Tamiflu, which is used to treat symptoms of influenza. Roche Holding AG, the company that produces the drug, told wholesalers that there would be a delay in Tamiflu shipments. Across the nation, pharmacies have the liquid version of Tamiflu on backorder, prompting compounding pharmacies to start making their own versions of the drug.

But even the vaccines used to prevent further outbreaks are in low supply. Sanofi SA, which is the main flu vaccine provider in the US, announced Thursday that four out of six of its formulations of seasonal flu vaccines were sold out.

“We use Cardinal Health as our drug wholesaler and we have a secondary. Both of those are running low,” Andy Komuves, a pharmacist at the Dougherty’s Pharmacy in north Dallas, says to Fox News. “Supplies are spotty. Some of that is because there is a huge demand right now and of course when these types of things happen you always get a little bit of hoarding going on too.”

US lawmakers are encouraging the American public to stay home if they experience flu-like symptoms and to get the vaccine if they haven’t already. With the vaccine now in short supply, though, it will become increasingly difficult to take preventative measures against the deadly illness. With flu season lasting until March or early April, the death toll is likely to continue rising. To combat the epidemic, the city of Boston is providing free flu shots this weekend.

“You have to think about an anti-viral, especially if you’re elderly, a young child, a pregnant woman,” said ABC News Chief Medical Editor Dr. Besser. “They’re the people that are going to die from this. Tens of thousands of people die in a bad flu season. We’re not taking it serious enough.”

Comments (60)

Delusional Sheep (unregistered) 14.01.2013 21:23

US Government Trick Bag!

Poison the population with mercury injections.

A nything our goverment gives away you don't want, believe me.

Even some dumb delusional sheep know better and will take chances with lab created virus over mercury accumlation thank you very much.

Born in the USA and let me tell you our evil plutocracy destroys not saves.

Wake up!!! You simple delusional fools believe anything Washington News tell you.

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green lantern (unregistered) 14.01.2013 19:53


What I am about to share us extremely complex covering over 2500 years so I will simplify as best as possible since this will be new for most.
I will break language into three levels of reading or readers skills.1= vulgar 2= esoteric 3= High
Many ancient manuscripts speak of things such as oceans and divers and even pearls.
I f you only possess the knowledge level of what is permitted for the public called "vulgar" this is the limits of what you can extract from books or manuscripts of words I used as a small example "ocean - sea - divers or pearls".
Th e next level of readers skills 'esoteric “can  understand that the ocean’s or seas surface tensions are not its end- but extend themselves to become what  the public knowledge limits the readers mind to what he comprehends as the atmosphere, but in fact it is a less dense watery ocean larger than the first ocean it extended from. But the esoteric reader’s knowledge while above vulgar is still limited and won’t allow that reader full truth either.
The third level is "HIGH" and a man who possesses this knowledge “rare” understa nds not only the esoteric meaning or level, but an even higher truth  which pertains to  what the actual purpose of "these divers are  as well as what pearls represent in this ocean. If I were to even attempt to share with the public and make a claim to them that they don’t how to read I would be accepted only as a delusional man. Man assumes much- one of his errors is assuming he is modern. In fact he is in a very dark period of time. I include myself in all I share I too am ignorant as no man can claim to be all wise. And what I share is not mine to claim but a gift I simply share because I love TRUTH.

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green lantern (unregistered) 14.01.2013 18:57

juda wrote in #17
usa..... ..GREEN LANTERN:  Good stuff!  Thanks.  Yeah the Romans sure worked hard and many times to kill that ole Alexandria Library and I think the Moors hit them once also, yes?  I also agree with your statement of our physical eye and perception.  I like the way you used the word 'highlighted'.   When one talks to traveled Asians they will find they know more about 'Jesus' than we so called Christians.  They will tell you Jesus and his missing years were in the East studying all the ancient divine texts and it is so recorded in these texts.  Which is why Jesus was speaking 'literally' for the masses to understand metaphysically.  But, it didn't work out well did it?  They took my comment down regarding ancient Egypt possessing the knowledge of curing small pox. This knowledge and much more were contained in the Royal libraries in Alexandria. Shame they removed it- as it detailed a lot of truth. Bio warfare is many thousands of years ancient- but the general public being kept in ignorance for so long- has a terrible time accepting truth The Egyptians also knew ‘small pox” as did many civilizations have to deal with this terror. The doctors discovered if they took the fluid form the smallest clearest ‘pox” and immunized another – that this person only developed a milder form and almost always lived. Too bad the Maya weren’t taught this or the American Indians – I couldn’t estimate the number who suffered & perished.Thank you for noticing my comment as what I share is not welcomed here in this land of lies and deciet.And lovers of truth seem to live shortened lives.

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