Out of the darkness?

It seems the big bad flu is headed away, as it should given the season.

But, look at the second graph. The death rate keeps climbing.

But not here in W North Carolina, that I can tell. We are still busy taking x-rays of sick people, but not insane like it was a month ago.

I suppose sometimes we are ahead of the average, and sometimes we are behind it.

Both graphics, are, of course, from the CDC, here.

Flu 2008--Nearing the end?

Or is this dip this week just a lucky break?

I have to say that the nursing homes I go to which have been hit hardest with the flu/pneumonia are not quite as bad this week. Partly this is due to the sickest dying off or going to hospital, I guess, but there are not as many new, very sick people this week.

This graph from the CDC bears that out. As you can see, there is a dip in the number of cases of positive flu this week.

We are still above epidemic threshold levels for deaths from Pneumonia and Influenza, as this graph shows, but the rate of increase does not appear quite as steep as it has.

All in all, if these trends continue, we should, most of us, see Spring.

Hang in there people. Keep washing your hands. If you are sick, drink lots of fluids. If you are immno-suppressed, keep away from everyone for a while. If you have relatives in nursing homes, and you are sick...please do NOT go see them until you are well.

The Flu on Monday

Well, of the 14 patients I took chest xrays on last Friday, 4 died over the weekend.
That is, let's see... 28% or so.
I did not check the charts to see who was positive for flu, all of them did have pneumonia though, or radiographic signs of pneumonia anyway.
That is pretty grim news.

The good news? Again, it is February, not December. These things pass with the season, most of the time.

More good news?

It seems the alchemists who predict what type of flu will come 2 years out were right, in spite of what you may have seen on TV. 91% of the observed H1N1 virus has been of the type contained in the vaccine.

I think that is pretty good.