The H1N1 flu already has pushed influenzalike illness to widespread levels in Minnesota, state health officials said Wednesday.
More than 30 schools have reached the threshold for reporting influenza outbreaks -- when 5 percent of students are out with flulike illnesses, or when three or more elementary school children from the same classroom are out with flu symptoms.
While the illness that is officially called H1N1 novel influenza isn't for sure to blame, health officials say it is likely. Seasonal influenza reaches widespread levels in Minnesota most years but typically not until after the holidays. The state's first lab-confirmed case usually isn't even reported until mid-November.
"Novel H1N1 has continued to cause illness in Minnesota all through the summer, and we have been anticipating a possible second wave of this illness," said Dr. Sanne Magnan, state health commissioner. "We strongly suspect that may be starting to happen now."
While shots for seasonal influenza are available, the vaccine for the new H1N1 strain won't be ready until mid-October.
Health officials are encouraging people to slow the spread of the virus by washing their hands, covering their coughs and staying home if they have flu symptoms and fevers of 100 degrees or higher.
The upcoming season could be unusually severe -- both because of the emergence of a new H1N1 virus, and because the seasonal flu vaccine is mismatched to one of the circulating strains.
H1N1
novel influenza was first found this spring in Mexico, but it quickly appeared in the U.S. and reached pandemic levels worldwide.
As of the end of August, federal authorities have recorded 593 U.S. deaths and 9,079 hospitalizations from apparent H1N1 infections.
The first Minnesota case was reported at Rocori Middle School in Cold Spring, shutting down the school for a week. Schools are no longer closing as a result of H1N1 cases but have been told to monitor teachers and students and send home anyone with flu symptoms.
Religious organizations have prepared, too. Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul has put hand sanitizer in all classrooms and hand-washing instructions in bathrooms. Executive director Jane Steinman said she might discourage someone who is coughing from entering a service, but she hasn't curtailed any events or limited contact among members of the synagogue.
"We're all huggers," Steinman said.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis may issue guidance this week, said spokesman Dennis McGrath.
While seasonal flu typically is harshest on older adults, the H1N1 strain has caused more severe illnesses in children. The theory is that older adults have some immunity to the strain, which has genetic similarities to older flu strains. Two of the three H1N1-related deaths in Minnesota involved children.
The good news, of sorts, is that H1N1-related infections appear no more severe than seasonal flu. The bad news is that even seasonal flu can be deadly, and this strain of H1N1 could still mutate.
Whatever strain emerges, at least one expert fears it will spread rapidly over the next month or two and cause numerous illnesses and disruptions before the H1N1 vaccine is widely available.
"I'm afraid too little vaccine is going to get here before the peak really hits," said Michael Osterholm, who directs the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
Businesses and organizations are bracing for the impact, both when workers suffer illnesses and when they need to stay home with their children.
If employees feel pressure to work while sick, then they likely will infect co-workers, said Kevin Leuer, who is directing influenza planning for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
"It will be more detrimental (to a business)," he said, "if you have someone who comes to work sick and makes other people sick."
Jeremy Olson can be reached at 651-228-5583. To see more of the Pioneer Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.twincities.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2009, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.