We have been reporting daily H1N1 (Swine) Flu tallies and updates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization since 4/27/09 and will continue to do so until they stop reporting the stats.  On 7/24/09, the CDC announced it will no longer report individual H1N1 flu cases by state but will continue reporting hospitalizations and deaths. But we will continue reporting tidbits of information as we obtain it.

The Ventura County Health Care Agency H1N1 Hotline is 805.981.5390 and operates Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm. Visit the VC Public Health website at www.vchca.org/ph/swineflu for more information.  H1N1 and seasonal flu shots are now widely available to all individuals in Ventura County.

Update 4/30/10: WHO H1N1 update 98 on 4/30/10 reports at least 17,919 deaths as of 4/25/10 (66 in latest week).

Update 4/23/10: CDC finally realized last week no one cares anymore about H1N1 flu stats. But the WHO is still reporting. Its H1N1 update 97 on 4/23/10 reports at least 17,853 deaths as of 4/18/10 (55 in latest week).

Update 4/16/10: What the heck!? CDC has concluded its tracking of "aggregate hospitalizations and deaths" for the 2009-2010 H1N1 flu season as of 4/16/10. So you get no mo' data here on CVG. But the WHO is still reporting. Its H1N1 update 96 on 4/16/10 reports at least 17,798 deaths as of 4/9/10 (98 in latest week).

Update 4/9/10: CDC reports 41,821 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (132 in latest week) and 2,117 deaths (21 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 4/3/10. WHO H1N1 update 95 on 4/9/10 reports at least 17,700 deaths as of 4/2/10 (217 in latest week).

Update 4/2/10: CDC reports 41,689 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (138 in latest week) and 2,096 deaths (19 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 3/27/10. WHO H1N1 update 94 on 4/2/10 reports at least 17,483 deaths as of 3/28/10 (552 in latest week).

Update 3/26/10: CDC reports 41,551 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (229 in latest week) and 2,077 deaths (16 in last 7 days) from 8/30/09 to 3/20/10. WHO H1N1 update 93 on 3/26/10 reports at least 16.931 deaths as of 3/21/10 (118 in latest week).

Update 3/19/10: CDC reports 41,322 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (209 in latest week) and 2,061 deaths (19 in last 4 days) from 8/30/09 to 3/13/10. WHO H1N1 update 92 on 3/19/10 reports at least 16.813 deaths as of 3/14/10 (100 in latest week).

Update 3/12/10: CDC reports 41,113 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (308 in latest week) and 2,042 deaths (33 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 3/9/10. No change in pediatric H1N1 flu deaths this week. WHO H1N1 update 91 on 3/12/10 reports at least 16.713 deaths as of 3/7/10 (258 in latest week).

Update 3/5/10: CDC reports 40,805 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (187 in latest week) and 2,009 deaths (15 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 3/2/10.

There were 329 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 2/27/10, no change from the prior week. 277 of these are confirmed H1N1 related.

WHO H1N1 update 90 on 3/5/10 reports at least 16.455 deaths as of 2/28/10 (229 more than last week).

Update 2/26/10: CDC reports 40,618 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (316 in latest week) and 1,994 deaths (28 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 2/20/10.

There were 329 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 2/20/10, 3 more than the prior week. 278 of these are confirmed H1N1 related.

WHO H1N1 update 89 on 2/26/10 reports at least 16.226 deaths as of 2/21/10 (305 more than last week).

Update 2/19/10: CDC reports 40,302 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (272 in latest week) and 1,966 deaths (39 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 2/13/10.

There were 326 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 2/13/10, 2 more than the prior week. 277 of these are confirmed H1N1 related.

WHO H1N1 update 88 on 2/19/10 reports at least 15,921 deaths as of 2/14/10 (629 more than last week).

Update 2/12/10: CDC reports 40,030 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (236 in latest week) and 1,937 deaths (32 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 2/6/10.

There were 324 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 2/6/10, 3 more than the prior week. 274 of these are confirmed H1N1 related.

WHO H1N1 update 87 on 2/12/10 reports at least 15,292 deaths as of 2/7/10 (118 more than last week).

Update 2/5/10: CDC reports 39,794 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (407 in latest week) and 1,905 deaths (48 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 1/30/10.

There were 321 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 1/30/10, 9 more than the prior week. 272 of these are confirmed H1N1 related.

WHO H1N1 update 86 on 2/5/10 reports at least 15,174 deaths as of 1/31/10 (463 more than last week).

Update 1/29/10: CDC reports 39,387 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (398 in latest week) and 1,857 deaths (45 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 1/23/10.

There were 312 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 1/23/10, 5 more than the prior week. 263 of these are confirmed H1N1 related.

WHO H1N1 update 85 on 1/29/10 reports at least 14,711 deaths as of 1/24/10 (569 more than last week).

Update 1/22/10: CDC reports 38,989 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (534 in latest week) and 1,812 deaths (33 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 1/16/10.

There were 307 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 1/16/10, 7 more than the prior week. 258 of these are confirmed H1N1 related.

WHO H1N1 update 84 on 1/22/10 reports at least 14,142 deaths as of 1/17/10 (588 more than last week).

Update 1/15/10: CDC reports 38,455 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (677 in latest week) and 1,779 deaths (44 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 1/9/10.

There were 300 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 1/9/10, 7 more than the prior week. 248 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

WHO H1N1 update 83 on 1/15/10 reports at least 13,554 deaths (755 more than last week).

Update 1/8/10: CDC reports 37,778 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (688 in latest week) and 1,735 deaths (38 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 1/2/10.

There were 293 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 1/2/10, 4 more than the prior week. 255 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

WHO H1N1 update 82 on 1/8/10 reports at least 12,799 deaths (579 more than last week).

Update 12/31/09: CDC reports 37,090 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (927 in latest week) and 1,697 deaths (67 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 12/26/09.

There were 289 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 12/26/09, 4 more than the prior week. 243 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

WHO H1N1 update 81 on 12/30/09 reports at least 12,220 deaths (700 more than last week).

Update 12/24/09: CDC reports 36,163 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (854 in latest week) and 1,630 deaths (63 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 12/19/09.

There have been 285 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 12/19/09, 9 more than the prior week. 241 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

Update 12/23/09: WHO H1N1 update 80 reports at least 11,516 deaths (nearly 1,000 more than last week).

Update 12/18/09: CDC reports 35,309 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (1,819 in latest week) and 1,567 deaths (122 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 12/12/09.

There have been 276 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 12/12/09, 9 more than the prior week. 232 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

WHO H1N1 update 79 reports at least 10,582 deaths (over 800 more than last week).

Update 12/11/09: CDC reports 33,490 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (2,170 in latest week) and 1,445 deaths (109 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 12/5/09.

There have been 267 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 12/5/09, 16 more than the prior week. 224 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

WHO H1N1 update 78 reports at least 9.596 deaths (nearly 1,000 more than last week). 

Update 12/10/09: The CDC updated estimates of H1N1 cases, hospitalizations and deaths previously reported 11/12/09, this time for the period 4/1/09 to 11/14/09:

Total cases ranged from 34 million to 67 million with a midpoint of 47 million. Holy smoke! This was 14 to 34 million w/midpoint of 22 million a month ago!  Roughly double!!

Total hospitalizations ranged from 154,000 to 303,000 with a midpoint of 213,000. Over double just one month ago.

Total death estimates were 7,070 to 13,930 with a midpoint of 9,820. Also more than double the month ago estimates.

Update 12/9/09: H1N1 vaccine is now available for all Ventura County residents! Check www.vchca.org/ph/swineflu for locations. WellnessMart, MD in Thousand Oaks currently has 1,000 doses in stock; no appt necessary.

Update 12/4/09: CDC reports 31,320 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (2,000 in latest week) and 1,336 deaths (112 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 11/28/09.

There have been 251 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 11/28/09, 17 more than the prior week. 210 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

WHO H1N1 update 77 reports at least 8,768 deaths (nearly 1,000 more than last week).  These numbers understate actual counts significantly according to WHO. This latest WHO report does not address total lab confirmed cases.

Ventura Public Health says there will be H1N1 clinics in Nordhoff High School in Ojai on 12/8 and Borchard Community Center Newbury Park on 12/14. www.vchca.org/ph/swineflu

Update 11/30/09: CDC reports 29,348 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations (3,000 in latest week) and 1,224 deaths (175 in latest week) from 8/30/09 to 11/21/09.

There have been 234 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 11/21/09, 34 more than the prior week. 198 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

Update 11/27/09: The WHO reports over 622,000 lab confirmed H1N1 cases (nearly 100,000 higher than last week) and over 7,800 deaths (over 1,000 more than last week).  These numbers understate actual counts significantly according to WHO.

No weekly CDC update on 11/27 I suppose due to the Thankgiving Day weekend (though Friday wasn't a Federal holiday).

Update 11/20/09: CDC reports 26,315 flu-related lab confirmed hospitalizations and 1049 deaths from 8/30/09 to 11/14/09, roughly 20% higher than a week ago.

There have been 200 lab-confirmed flu-related pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 11/14/09, 21 more than the prior week. 171 of these are confirmed H1N1 related and the rest are unknown Influenza A subtype or seasonal flu related.

The WHO reports over 526,000 lab confirmed H1N1 cases (23,000 higher than last week) and over 6,770 deaths (470 more than last week).  These numbers understate actual counts significantly according to WHO.

Update 11/13/09: All righty then, the CDC for the umpteenth time has changed the data it is reporting out. Since 9/18/09 it had been reporting both flu hospitalizations/deaths as well as flu/pneumonia syndrome hospitalizations/deaths since 8/30/09. Today they started reporting only lab confirmed flu cases...which were 22,364 hospitalizations and 877 deaths from 8/30/09 to 11/7/09.

But there's a reason for the change in reporting by CDC. They did a study that determined that every case of H1N1 reported to the CDC from Apr to Jul was under-ascertained by a factor of 79 and every hospitalized case was under-reported by a factor of 2.7. So going forward the CDC will update a range of estimated cases, hospitalizations and deaths every 3 or 4 weeks. (I can only imagine how difficult it is to estimate H1N1 cases...my family had it but it wasn't exactly reported to anyone.)

Yesterday, the CDC reported 2009 H1N1 estimates from April to October 17, 2009 as follows:

Total cases ranged from 14 million to 34 million with midpoint range of 22 million. 36% of these cases were the 0 to 17 year old age group. Only 9% of cases were those 65 and older.

Total hospitalizations ranged from 63,000 to 153,000 with a midpoint of 98,000; 37% of these were 0 to 17 year olds and again 9% were 65 and older.

Total death estimates were 2,500 to 6,100 with a midpoint of 3,900. This midpoint is about 500 deaths higher than what was previously published. But of course, these are estimates. 14% of these estimated deaths were 0 to 17 yr olds, 11% were 65 and older.

This latest CDC study further confirms that H1N1 is really disproportionately affecting younger patients.  Seasonal flu for example usually causes 36,000 deaths per year, 90% of which are those 65 and older. Data indicates the inverse is true for H1N1! CDC estimates 89% of H1N1 related deaths from Apr to Oct have people under age 65, while 11% have been 65 and older.  This is a pretty significant statistic!

There have been 156 lab-confirmed H1N1 pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 11/7/09, 26 more than the prior week.

The WHO reports over 503,000 lab confirmed H1N1 cases (21,000 higher than last week) and nearly 6,300 deaths (400 more than last week).  These numbers understate actual counts significantly according to WHO.

Update 11/6/09: The WHO reports over 482,000 lab confirmed H1N1 cases (10% higher than last week) and nearly 6,100 deaths (400 more than last week).  These numbers understate actual counts significantly according to WHO.

CDC reports nearly 44,000 flu/pneumonia hospitalizations (5,000 more than a week ago) and 3,588 deaths (142 more than last week) from 8/30/09 to 10/31/09. There have been 129 lab-confirmed H1N1 pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 10/31/09, including 15 in the week ending 10/31/09.

The California Dept of Public Health reports there have been 249 H1N1 related deaths from 4/3/09 to 10/24/09, including 2 in Ventura County.

Update 11/4/09: Ventura County Public Health clinics in North Oxnard, South Oxnard, Simi Valley and Ventura will be open for temporarily be open from 10 am to 6 pm ONLY for H1N1 vaccinations. They are free but ask you to bring your insurance cards as they can be billed to insurance. Clinics are for FluMist and injectable vaccine for those 6 months to 24 years old, pregnant women, caregivers of infants under 6 months old and 25 to 64 year olds with high risk medical conditions. CLICK HERE for the flier with locations.  Healthy (no runny noses!), non-pregnant individuals 2 to 49 will be given FluMist. Others will receive the injectable. But anyone with serious egg allergies SHOULD NOT receive the H1N1 vaccine.

On Friday, November 20th from 6:30 pm (sharp) to 8:30 pm at the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, 801 S. Victoria Ave, Suite 200, a FREE vaccine seminar will be given by Dr. Eric Sletten of Sletten Wellness. He will review highlights of the 2009 International Public Conference on Vaccines in Washington DC. He will not tell you whether or not to get the vaccine but he will provide useful information to make your own informed decision.  RSVP at info(at)slettenwellness.com or 805.643.7902.

Update 10/30/09: CDC reports 38,451 combined flu/pneumonia hospitalizations and 3,446 deaths from 8/30/09 to 10/24/09, 8,400 more hospitalizations and over 600 more deaths since last week. The CDC posted a new statistic today, that there have been 114 lab-confirmed H1N1 pediatric deaths from 4/26/09 to 10/24/09, including 19 in the week ending 10/24/09.

WHO reports over 440,000 lab confirmed H1N1 cases (26,000 more than last week) and over 5,700 deaths (700 more than last week).  These numbers understate actual counts significantly according to WHO.

From the White House...on 10/27/09 Michelle Obama's Press Secretary posted on the White House Blog that the entire Obama family has received seasonal flu vaccine and that Malia and Sasha received the H1N1 vaccine the prior week along with other Washington, DC schoolchildren as the vaccine became available.

Update 10/27/09: I contacted the VC Public Health H1N1 hotline 805.981.5390 today and they answered the phone right away and they were very friendly and responsive to my questions.  I asked "My family already had swine flu. Does it still make sense to receive the vaccine?"  The answer was yes, getting the H1N1 vaccine would help build up the body's defenses to getting H1N1 again.

There was an article in the Wall Street Journal the other day about the supply of H1N1 vaccines.  The main manufacturers of H1N1 vaccines have had challenges producing the amount of "seed" virus necessary to "grow" the vaccine to meet demand.  (Hey, why doesn't local biotech powerhouse AMGEN sign on to produce the vaccine!?  They have a stellar track record of producing biopharma products!)  The U.S. Government ordered 212 million doses of the vaccine over the course of the flu season.

If you're looking to make investments in the H1N1 vaccine manufacturers, check out Novartis (NVS) which is making 90 million doses, Sanofi-Aventis (SNY) making 75 million and Astra Zeneca (AZN) whose subsidiary, biotech company Medimmune, has already shipped have of the 40 million Flumist H1N1 nasal spray vaccines (which are approved for healthy individuals between the ages of 2 and 49).  GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is contracted to produce 7.6 million doses but is awaiting FDA approval of its vaccine.  Hmmm...why is it that all 4 H1N1 vaccines are produced by European, not American companies??

On a side note, me and my 4 year old stopped by the Westlake Village City Celebration event this past Sunday.  There were a dozen kids' bouncies there and standing at the entrance to each bouncy was a volunteer standing guard with hand sanitizer.  My son went on the same bouncy/slide 10 times in a row in rapid succession, and he was a trooper each time, accepting the glob of sanitizer gel and rubbing his hands together.  Felt a bit overkill doing it EACH and EVERY time but all of us parents did appreciate the effort!

Update 10/23/09: CDC reports 30,027 combined flu/pneumonia hospitalizations and 2,827 deaths from 8/30/09 to 10/17/09, over 9,000 and nearly 600 more hospitalizations and deaths since last week. Almost all of the influenza viruses reported are 2009 H1N1 influenza A (like the one that hit my family a month ago), similar to the strain chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. The CDC report that 46 states are reporting "widespread" influenza activity at this time, which is "unprecedented" during seasonal flu.

WHO reports over 414,000 lab confirmed H1N1 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths.  These numbers understate actual counts significantly according to WHO.

In the news, apparently Miley Cyrus is battling the swine flu. Popular Dr. Sanjay Gupta got the swine flu a month ago. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow got the swine flu. Marilyn Manson had the swine flu. Cleveland Cavaliers players LeBron James, Darnell Jackson and Coby Karl had the H1N1 strain of Influenza A.

Update 10/17/09:H1N1 vaccine information on the CDPH website.

Update 10/16/09: CDC reports 20,654 flu/pneumonia hospitalizations (4K more than a week ago) and 2,231 deaths (537 higher than a week ago) from 8/30/09 to 10/10/09. The WHO reports today over 399K lab-confirmed H1N1 cases and over 4,735 deaths through 10/11/09.  As a reminder, this count is significantly lower than the actual count because many countries have stopped testing and reporting individual cases, particularly milder cases.  I know for example that the 5 cases in my own family are not confirmed as we had mild cases (putting aside my hugging the porcelain goddess for an entire night, which at the time didn't feel exactly mild to me).

Update 10/9/09: CDC reports 16,258 flu/pneumonia hospitalizations (seems a bit odd only 84 higher than last week...might be a mistake) and 1,784 deaths from 8/30/09 to 10/3/09. 405 more deaths than a week ago. WHO reports over 378K lab-confirmed cases and 4525 deaths worldwide through 10/4/09.

SOME PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ABOUT H1N1.  Starting 9/27/09, my 15 yr old was hit with the flu. He couldn't drag himself out of bed the entire day. Took him to Urgent Care late that day and they took a nose swab and said it was Influenza A (H1N1). The doc came back with a mask on and prescribed Tamiflu. We sent him off to Grandma's to quarantine him from the rest of us (sorry Grandma) and within 2 days he was much better and ready for school 5 days later.  Our little one subsequently got nailed with a flu, but was not very severe (our oldest was completely knocked out for a few days).

Subsequently, late on the night of Thursday, October 1st, I, Conejo Joe, was NAILED by the flu.  Starting at 11:45 p.m. I was in and out of the bathroom until 5 am. We're talking violent wretching to the point I thought my lung flew out at one point.  I can remember only one other time in the last 10 years a flu hit me that hard...but the other time I felt great (and lighter) after another day.  Not so this time.  Several days of lethargy, off and on fevers, periodic chills, etc.  Then came the respiratory stuff...barking seal cough, then runny nose, leading to another weak of coughing (the cough was really bad).

My wife we hoped was in the clear but not so...she begged me to come home on the 10/8 to help out with the kids.  I took her to Urgent Care, they swabbed her nose, and within minutes the doc came out wearing a mask once again...Influenza A (H1N1).  So we locked her in a room for 4 days and today, 10/12, she seems better.

Let me tell ya...you can wash your hands every 3 minutes with soap and warm water, constantly slather yourself with hand sanitizer, wear gloves and masks, etc. but it sure is hard to get away from something like this when you have kids.  You just never know who is out and about with the flu.  Obviously don't touch your hands to your face if you are out in public touching doorknobs, elevator buttons, etc.  Do the best you can.  But if you do come down with it, don't fight it.  You can take Tamiflu to help reduce its spread if you catch it early on (within 12 to 48 hours). But rest, rest, rest, take in fluids, Gatorade, chicken soup, and work it out of your system.  It ain't fun and it ain't pretty. But all in all my entire family survived it.  In fact, we all lost a few pound from it, lucky us. 

But be a good citizen and quarantine yourself.  Palleeeeezzee!!  It ain't fun getting the flu.

One other thing.  Aside from all the standard advice out there, don't burn yourself out! Get adequate sleep! Take care of yourself! Eat quality foods.  I think maintaining a strong immune system is equally important to washing your hands all the time.    Help your body repel the evil H1N1!

Update 10/2/09: CDC reports 16,174 flu/pnuemonia hospitalizations and 1,379 deaths for the period 8/30/09 to 9/19/09 an increase of over 6,000 hospitalizations and 643 deaths during the prior week. WHO reports over 343,000 lab-confirmed H1N1 cases and over 4,100 2009 deaths.

Update 9/25 10 AM: CDC reports 10,082 flu/pneumonia hospitalizations and 936 deaths for the period 8/30/09 to 9/19/09, 5,513 hospitalizations and 572 deaths higher than the prior week.  Adding these to the 2008-2009 tally equals 19,161 hospitalizations and 1,529 deaths since April 2009.

Update 9/18 10 AM: WHO reports over 296,000 global lab-confirmed H1N1 cases with at least 3,486 deaths to date.  The lab-confirmed number is understated as most countries only report severe cases at this point.

The CDC ended reporting for the 2008-2009 flu season on 9/4 and is now reporting H1N1 flu hospitalizations and deaths for the period beginning 8/30/09. Today (9/18), the CDC reports 4,569 hospitalizations and 364 deaths from 8/30/09 to 9/12/09.  Adding these to the 2008-2009 tally reported on 9/4 equals 13,648 cumulative hospitalizations and 957 total U.S. deaths since April 2009.

Update 9/4 10 AM: CDC reports 9.079 cumulative H1N1 hospitalizations and 593 deaths in the U.S., a relatively small increase over the prior week. The WHO reports over 254K cumulative lab confirmed H1N1 cases and over 2,800 deaths worldwide as of 8/30/09.

Washington State University on its H1N1 Flu blog indicated that 2,000 students complained of flu-like symptoms over the first 10 days of school as compared to only a handful in typical years. But the good thing is that NONE of the students has required hospitalization, most cases are mild and are better in 3 to 5 days.

Update 8/28 10 AM: CDC reports 8,843 cumulative H1N1 flu hospitalizations and 556 deaths in the U.S., an increase of 11% and 6.5%, respectively over one week ago.

Update 8/21 10 9:30 AM: CDC reports 7,983 cumulative hospitalized cases of H1N1 flu and 522 deaths in the U.S., District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, a 6% increase over last week. The cumulative swine flu death toll is 522, 9.4% higher than a week ago.  115 of the 522 deaths occurred in California.

Update 8/19 10 AM: WHO reports over 182,000 cumulative worldwide swine flu cases as of 8/13/09, but keep in mind this number is greatly understated as countries are no longer required to test and report individual cases. 1,799 global H1N1 related deaths to date, a 23% increase over the prior week total.  88% of those deaths occured in North/South America.

Update 8/14 10 AM: CDC reports 7,511 cumulative H1N1 hospitalizations and 477 deaths to date, an increase of 15% and 9% over last Friday. So basically we are seeing about 1,000 new hospitalizations each week. 

The WHO on 8/6 reported a total of 177,457 lab-confirmed swine flu cases inception to date. This is nearly 50% more than cases reported as of 7/21. And 1,462 cumulative worldwide H1N1 related deaths.  In addition, the WHO reports that 71% of ALL global influenza cases are of the new H1N1 variety.

On a personal note, my familly vacationed in Mexico the last week of July and did not encounter swine flu. We spoke to a 3 taxi drivers and tour guides, all of whom indicated no personal experience or exposure to swine flu. And the taxi driver in Mazatlan claimed "this swine flu thing is a big lie because we have an election coming up." And there ya have it!

Update 8/7 10 AM: CDC reports 6,506 hospitalized H1N1 cases and 436 deaths, up 18% and 23.5%, respectively, from a week ago.

Update 7/31 10 AM: CDC reports 5,514 hospitalized H1N1 cases and 353 deaths to date (up 17% from a week ago).  No more reporting of individual swine flu cases.

Update 7/24 9 AM: CDC reports 43,771 swine flu cases (up 8% from a week ago) and 302 related deaths (15% more than last report). The top 11 reporting states are WI 6222, TX 5151 (27 deaths), IL 3404, CA 3161 (52 deaths), FL 2915 (23 deaths), NY 2738 (63 deaths), PA 1960, CT 1713, Hawaii 1424 (1st time in the top 10!), NJ 1414 and MA 1370.  This is the last CDC report of individual cases as going forward it will focus on hospitalizations and deaths.

According to the WHO today, "In most countries the majority of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 cases are still occurring in younger people, with the median age reported to be 12 to 17 years (based on data from Canada, Chile, Japan, UK and the United States of America).

Here are updated tallies from member regions of the WHO: Americas 88,408 cases (737 deaths); Africa 175 cases (no deaths); Eastern Mediterranean 952 cases (1 death); Europe - no updates; Southeast Asia 7,559 cases (44 deaths, all in Thailand), Western Pacific Region - no updates.

Update 7/21 9 AM: The WHO does not report global H1N1 tallies but here is what we were able to find. Africa reports 157 swine flu cases as of 7/19 (up 70% from 11 days prior), The Americas reports 84,125 cases and 674 related deaths as of 7/17, including the U.S. (40,617/263), Mexico (11966/121), Chile (10491/33), Canada (10156/45), Argentina (3056/137 - this is a 4.4% death rate, much higher than the 1% global death rate), Peru (1968/6) and Brazil (1175/11).

Eastern Mediterranean area reports 828 cases as of 7/20 (up nearly 60% from 10 days prior). No official updates from Europe and Western Pacific regions, though there have been 10,387 confirmed swine flu cases in Australia and 3122 in Japan. The Southeast Asia region reports 5684 cases as of 7/20, more than double the tally from 2 weeks prior; most cases are in Thailand (5120 confirmed). No WHO updates from Western Pacific region though Australia and Japan report 10,387 and 3,122 confirmed cases recently. All told, the confirmed and reported global cases of swine flu to date is 119,918.  But we know the actually tally is much, much greater than this.

Update 7/17 8:30 AM: Today's CDC tally shows 40,617 confirmed H1N1 flu cases (9% more than a week ago) and 263 related deaths (a 25% increase) to date.  The top 10 state swine flu counts are WI 6031, TX 4975, IL 3357, CA 3161, NY 2670, FL 2188, PA 1914, CT 1581, NJ 1350 and MA 1343.  Highest death tolls in NY 57, CA 52 (actually, the CA Dept of Health website now shows 55 deaths, 23 higher than a week ago) and TX 24.

Update 7/16 9 AM: WHO officially says it will no longer provide global tables showing the number of confirmed swine flu cases by country.  In the meantime, Wisconsin reports 6157 confirmed/probably swine flu cases and Texas reports 4975.  Data is getting sparse :<

Update Fri 7/10 9 AM: The latest CDC tally shows 37,246 swine flu cases and 211 related deaths in the U.S. and territories.  This is a 10% increase from a week ago. Guam reports its first swine flu case.  The top H1N1 reporting states are WI 6031, TX 4463, IL 3259, NY 2582, CA 2461, PA 1794, FL 1781, CT 1364, MA 1328 and NJ 1289.

The WHO's last update of confirmed H1N1 cases was on 7/6. I guess they are not reporting global stats anymore. But they do have the following regional stats:  11,497 European swine flu cases as of 7/8, 91 in the African region, 75,735 (including today's updated CDC tally) cases in 31 North/South American countries (471 related deaths), 526 cases in the Eastern Mediterrean region (18 states), 2,657 Southeast Asia cases as of 7/7 and 17,627 Western Pacific Region (Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, etc.) cases as of 7/10.  Sum all the regions up and there are 108,133 confirmed global swine flu cases, 13,621 more than reported on 7/6.

Update Thurs 7/9 1 PM: No CDC or WHO updates since Monday, but the State of Texas updated its tally yesterday to 4,464 swine flu cases, 12% more than a week ago.

Update Tues 7/7 5 PM: Lame Swine Flu Joke of the Day: What is the difference between Bird Flu and Swine Flu?  Answer: For Bird Flu you need tweetment; for Swine Flu you need oinkment.

We may not be reporting swine flu updates much longer...today the WHO indicated it will stop asking countries with large swine flu outbreaks to test and tabulate individual swine flu cases.  Instead, broader estimates, macro trends will be collected.

Update Mon 7/6 9 AM: WHO update #58 indicates 94,512 swine flu cases and 429 deaths. Thailand's count grew nearly 50% to 2,076, Saudi Arabia has 114 cases, Peru grew 70% to 916, Japan grew 24% to 1,790 and Argentina's count grew over 50% to 2,485 cases.  There have been 60 confirmed swine flu deaths in Argentina, ranking it 3rd globally in deaths after the U.S. (170) and Mexico (119). Troubling is the fact that 2.4% of Argentina's swine flu cases have resulted in deaths, nearly 5 times the global swine flu death rate of .5%.

Syria reported its first swine flu case...yet again, an Aussie of Syrian origin flying in from Australia. And Libya reported its first case...a Thai worker returning from a trip to Thailand. Macedonia, Guyana, Croatia and the Cook Islands are the other latest additions to the swine flu club. Oh, and you might have read over the holiday weekend that Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint (aka Ron Weasley) is recovering from a mild case of swine flu.  We'll have to start tracking "high profile" recipients of the swine flu bug in the future.

Update Fri 7/3 9 AM: WHO update #57 shows 89,921 confirmed swine flu cases and 382 related deaths around the world. This is nearly 13,000 more than reported on Wed, 6,000 of which came from yesterday's CDC update. Today 42% of global confirmed swine flu cases are outside of North America, up from 35% a week ago.  A very significant increase.

The Mexico tally broke over 10,000, Chile grew to 7,376 cases, nearly the same number of cases reported in the UK. Making the list for the first time are Bosnia and Hezegovina, Palau and Uganda. North Korea still isn't on the list. This means that there are 2 good reasons to live there: 1) No swine flu and 2) ruling dictator always has really cool haircut.

Update Thurs 7/2 1 PM: CDC has updated its swine flu tally today as tomorrow is a Federal holiday. Tally is 33,902 cases, 6185 cases, or 22% more than a week ago, and 170 deaths (127 last week). Top swine flu states are WI 5861 cases, TX 3991, IL 3166, NY 2499, CA 1985, PA 1748, MA 1308, FL 1301, CT 1247 and NJ 1159. Highest death totals in NY 45, CA 21, TX 17, IL 13 and AZ 10.  The WHO swine flu tally will be updated tomorrow, but including today's CDC toll the count will be over 83K global cases and 375 deaths.

Update Wed 7/1 9 AM: WHO update #56 includes 77,201 global swine flu cases and 332 reported deaths, 6,308 more cases than reported just 2 days ago. The UK total leaped over 50% to 6,538 cases, Thailand grew over 80% to 1,414, Chile went up another 20% to 6,211 and Brazil grew 50% to 680. The first reported case in Kenya was reported...what else but a 20 yr old UK student who stopped by Nairobi for the weekend. Other first time reporters are Mauritius (7 cases), Myanmar (1) and Saint Lucia (1). Still no North Korean cases.

The CDC will update the U.S. county on Friday but it looks to be yet another significant jump. Texas today for example reported 3,992 cases, 1,000 more than last week.

Update Mon 6/29 9 AM: WHO update #55 shows 70,893 swine flu cases and 311 deaths today, reflecting the latest CDC tally from 6/25. The Australian tally jumped to over 4,000 cases, Canada jumped to 7,775, China is now at 1,442, Phillipines doubled to 861, Singapore more than doubled to 599 and North Korea still shows no swine flu...good for them.  The latest additions to the list are Nepal, Lithuania, Monaco and 10 reported cases in Iraq.  There have been 29 reported cases in Brunei Darussalam.  And there you have it.

Update Fri 6/26 8 AM: Once again the WHO update does not reflect the latest CDC tally due to timing. So including yesterday's CDC count, today's WHO update indicates 66,082 global swine flu cases 303 related deaths, with 65% of cases in North America (down from 67% earlier this week).  Australia has 3,280 confirmed cases, New Zealand 453 and Chile 5,186. Earlier this week Iran reported its first case...a 16 year old living in the U.S. who returned to Tehran.

Update Thurs 6/25 5 PM: The CDC updated swine flu stats early this week.  Here goes: 27,717 confirmed and probable cases with 127 deaths. Wow!  This an increase of over 6,000 cases from a week ago, though 1,200 of these due to the lag in reported Wisconsin cases noted yesterday.  The top 10: WI 4273, TX 2981, IL 2875, NY 2272, CA 1492, PA 1483, MA 1287, FL 941, NJ 899 and CT 877.  35 deaths in NY resulting from H1N1.  There was news out today that the CDC estimates U.S. swine flu cases at 1 MILLION, based on mathematical modeling.  Regular seasonal flu affects 15 million to 60 million U.S. residents each year.

Update Wed 6/24 8 AM: WHO update #53 is 55,867 global confirmed swine flu cases, up 3,707 cases, or 7%, from Monday. 238 swine flu related deaths reported to date. The top Asian swine flu reported cases are China 906, Japan 893, Thailand 774 and South Korea 115.

Last Friday the CDC tally for Wisconsin had not been updated. As of 6/22 there were 3,472 confirmed cases and another 779 "probable" cases, for a total of 4,251 (vs 3,008 reported by CDC).

The latest California swine flu tally as of 6/18 shows 1,317 confirmed/probable cases, including only 17 cases in Ventura County.

Update 6/22 8 AM: WHO swine flu update #52 shows 52,160 global H1N1 cases and 231 related deaths to date.  67% of reported cases are in North America, down from 75% one week ago and 83% 2 weeks ago, further evidence of its global spread.  The top swine flu reporting countries are U.S. 21,449, Mexico 7,624, Canada 5,710, Chile 4,315 (up 39% from Friday), UK 2,506 (up 43%), Australia 2,436 and Argentina 1,010.

Update 6/19 8 AM: CDC update today shows 21,449 swine flu cases, including 87 deaths, in all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  This is a 20% increase from a week ago.  The top swine flu states are WI 3,008, IL 2,526, TX 2,519, NY 1,300, MA 1,270, CA 1,245, PA 942, CT 767, UT 755, AZ 645, NJ 603, WA 588 and FL 562. I notice the Wisconsin tally is the same as a week ago, which seems odd. The U.S. swine flu death toll nearly doubled from a week ago.

WHO update #51 today, including today's CDC tally, is 47,881 global swine flu cases and 223 related deaths.  The large jump from yesterday's total is due to the addition of 3,600 U.S. cases and another 4,700 cases in other countries since yesterday.  Mexico reports 7624 cumulative swine flu cases and 113 deaths.  Other large swine flu counts are in Canada 4,905, Chile 3,125, Australia 2,199, UK 1,752 and Argentina 918. 24% of global reported swine flu cases have occurred outside of North America, up from 21% one week ago.

Update 6/17 8 AM: WHO update #50 reports 39,620 cases, 167 deaths, nearly 4,000 more than 2 days ago.  Argentina's count more than doubled to 733, Canada grew 36% to 4,049, Chile grew 38% to 2,335, Nicaragua more than doubled to 118, Philippines jumped 150% to 193 and Thailand went from 29 reported cases to 310.

Update 6/15 8 AM: WHO tally today is 35,928 swine flu cases, 163 deaths in 76 countries.  This tally includes Friday's CDC count.  The China count grew nearly 50% to 318 cases, Germany grew 80% to 170 cases, and there were similarly large percentage increases in Egypt, Greece, Guatamala, India, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and UK. The latest additions are West Bank/Gaza Strip and Morocco. The proportion of North American to Global swine flu cases now stands at 75%, down from 83% a week ago and 88% 2 weeks ago.

Update 6/12 8 AM: CDC swine flu tally is now 17,855 confirmed cases, including 45 deaths in the U.S.  This is 4,638 cases more than last Friday, representing a 35% increase in one week.  The confirmed death toll has grown by 67% during that same period.  The states with the largest H1N1 flu tallies are Wisconsin 3,008 cases, Texas 2,049 and Illinois 1,983, followed by NY 1160, CA 1094, MA 1078, UT 688, CT 637, PA 626, AZ 597, WA 584, MI 419 and FL 417.

Today's update #48 from the WHO doesn't include the updated CDC count...so factoring in today's CDC tally, there are 34,307 confirmed swine flu cases worldwide and 163 related deaths in 74 countries. The Canadian count jumped 22% from yesterday, to 2,978 cases. The count in Spain grew 37%, to 488 cases (no deaths though). Including today's CDC tally, the proportion of North American swine flu cases to global totals is 79%, down from 83% earlier this week. This reflects the spread of swine flu to other parts of the world that prompted the WHO to raise swine flu to pandemic level yesterday.

Update 6/11 9:25 AM: The World Health Organization today announced that the Swine (H1N1) Flu outbreak has reached pandemic stage, the first pandemic since the Hong Kong Flu of 1968 that killed 1 million people worldwide.  The current swine flu outbreak, while relatively mild in nature, continues to spread globally as we reach the summer months.  Today's WHO update #47 indicates 28,774 H1N1 cases in 74 countries, including 144 deaths.  The U.S. toll is update by the CDC only weekly, so I would expect a dramatic increase in the U.S. tally when it is reported tomorrow morning.

Update 6/10 8 AM: WHO update #46 shows 27,737 total swine flu cases and 141 deaths worldwide in 74 countries. The U.S. CDC tally is updated only on Fridays now so this mid-week WHO tally does not include an updated U.S. tally. The largest increase since Monday came from Chile, which exploded from 411 confirmed cases to 1694 reported today. Dominican Republic more than doubled, to 91 cases. Guatamala doubled to 60 cases. Honduras nearly tripled to 89 cases.  The latest country is Ukraine, with 1 reported case.

Update 6/8 8 AM: WHO update #45 is 25,288 swine flu cases, 139 resulting deaths in 73 countries.  The proportion of North American to worldwide swine flu cases has dropped another percentage point, to 83% (this statistic is an indicator of how much swine flu is spreading throughout the world). The Canadian tally is now 2115 cases and 3 deaths.  The 4 latest country additions to the swine flu list are Cayman Islands, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and United Arab Emirates.

Update 6/5 8 AM: CDC tally is 13,217 cases (up a significant 20% since 6/3) and 27 deaths (up from 17 deaths on 6/3) in the U.S.  The states with the most confirmed swine flu cases are WI 2217, TX 1670, IL 1357, CA 973, NY 858, MA 787, WA 577, AZ 547, UT 461, CT 395 (nearly double from 6/3), PA 299, MI 298 and FL 247.  NY has the largest swine flu related death toll at 8, followed by IL 5 and AZ 4. 

The CDC announced today that they will start reporting swine flu information just weekly, on Friday mornings, starting next week.  So for all you data nuts like me, you'll have to wait a week for your next statistical fix!

WHO update #44, including today's CDC tally, is over 24,000 global swine flu cases and 135 deaths in 69 countries.  The overall proportion of North American (U.S., Canada, Mexico) swine flu cases has dropped again down to 84%; this was 90% a week ago. This is primarily due to large spikes in non-NA H1N1 counts like Australia (up 75% to 876 cases), Honduras (from 2 to 34) and France (up 80% to 47 cases).

The 3 latest country additions are Barbados, Luxembourg and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi case was a Filipino nurse working in SA who had recently flown back from the Phillipines last Friday. The Mexico tally is now 5563 confirmed cases with 103 deaths.

Update 6/3 8 AM: CDC tally of 11,054 covers all 50 states + DC and Puerto Rico (which has reported 6 new cases for the 1st time). Swine flu deaths unchanged at 17.  Top states are WI 1904, TX 1403, IL 1151, CA 804, NY 646, WA 574, MA 566, AZ 547, UT 369, MI 287, PA 226, CT 196 and FL 194.

WHO update #43, including today's CDC tally, is 20,274 cases in 66 countries, including 117 deaths. The 4 latest country additions are Bulgaria (1 case), Egypt (1 case), Lebanon (3 cases) and Nicaragua (1 case).  The Egyptian case is a 12 year old American girl whose family is of Egyptian origin who landed in Cairo on Monday on a flight from Europe. (Apparently 26 people have died of a bird flu in Egypt since 2006.) The 3 Lebanese cases were a man who visited Spain and 2 Canadians visiting Lebanon.

The proportion of North American H1N1 cases has dropped to 86% of total global cases, down from 88% on Monday and 90% last week.  This indicates the disease is spreading globally...but the good news is that the disease has largely been moderate.  The Australian count grew 70% to 501 cases since Monday.  The UK count nearly doubled to 339.

Update 6/1 8 AM: CDC tally 10,053 cases in ALL U.S. states!  Yes, for the first time since reporting swine flu statistics 5 weeks ago, every U.S. state and the District of Columbia have swine flu cases. West Virginia and Wyoming joined the club this weekend.  17 total swine flu related deaths to date.  Top H1N1 states are WI 1641, TX 1403, IL 1103, CA 804, NY 605, WA 575, AZ 547, MA 470, UT 247 (quite a large jump), MI 234, CT 196 and FL 166.

WHO update #42 this morning, including today's U.S. CDC tally, is 18,488 cases in 62 countries with 115 deaths. The Australia count nearly doubled since Friday to 297 lab confirmed cases and the Argentina county nearly tripled to 100 cases.  9 new countries added to the list over the weekend: Bahamas (1), Bolivia (3), Cyprus (1), Estonia (1) Hungary (1), Jamaica (2), Paraguay (5), Venezeula (2) and Vietnam (1).  I still don't see North Korea or Iran on this list.  U.S., Mexico and Canada cases of swine flu represent 88% of total global cases to date, down slightly from Friday.

Update 5/29 8 AM: CDC tally is 8975 cases in 49 states/DC. Wyoming is finally on the list with its first swine flu recipient.  CDC reports 1 Wyomingan with H1N1 but I've read reports that there are 2, including a 13 yr old boy and a woman. That leaves just Alaska and West Virginia in the swine-flu-free zone. The swine flu leaderboard: Wow!  Wisconsin has assumed the lead again, with 1430 cases, followed by TX 1403, IL 1002, WA 575, CA and NY tied at 553, AZ 540, MA 416 and MI 229 15 confirmed U.S. swine flu related deaths to date.

WHO tally is 15,510 but is really 16,558 when factoring in today's CDC total, in 53 countries with 99 confirmed deaths. 5 new countries added to the list are: Czech Republic (1 case), Dominican Republic (2 cases), Romania (3 cases), Slovakia (1 case) and Uruguay (2 cases).  Mexico tally is 4910 confirmed cases with 85 reported deaths. To date, 90% of all reported swine flu cases all but 1 reported swine flu related death are from North America (Mexico, U.S., Canada).

Update 5/27 8 AM: WHO update #40 shows a tally of 13,398 swine flu cases in 48 countries, including 95 confirmed deaths. The latest additions to this list are Bahrain and Singapore.  Mexico now has 4541 confirmed cases with 83 resulting deaths.  CDC tally is 7927 cases in 48 states/DC, up 1163 from Monday.  Texas has jumped to 1358 cases, followed by Wisconsin 1130, IL 927, WA 575, CA 553, AZ 532, NY 456 and MA 286.  CDC confirms 11 deaths though 14 is reported by Associated Press.

Update 5/26 8 AM: WHO tally is 12,954 cases in 46 countries. CDC tally apparently is only updated 3 times per week now. In the meantime a 12th U.S. swine flu related death has been reported in Chicago.

Update 5/25 8 AM: H1N1 Update #38 from the WHO shows 12,515 cases, 91 deaths in 46 countries.  The 3 additions to the list are Honduras, Iceland and Kuwait.  The 18 reported cases in Kuwait were U.S. soldiers, all of whom have recovered. The Mexico lab confirmed swine flu tally is now 4174 cases and 80 deaths. Including today's updated CDC count below, the WHO count would be 12,727 cases.

CDC reports 6764 U.S. cases in 48 states/DC.  Top states include TX 900, IL 896, WI 766, CA 553, AZ 531, WA 517, NY 343, MA 238 and MI 176. CDC reports 10 U.S. swine flu related deaths to date, though a 11th death, a NY woman in her 50s was in the news today. Wyoming, Alaska and West Virginia continue to report no cases of swine flu.

Update 5/23 10 AM: WHO tally 12,022 H1N1 cases resulting in 86 deaths in 43 countries.  Russia reports its first swine flu case.

Update 5/22 8 AM: CDC tally jumped to 6552 cases. Wyoming, West Virginia and Alaska remain swine-flu free states to date.  Holy Lone Star! Texas has suddenly propelled into the #1 swine flu state, with a total of 900 cases (over 300 higher than the last report!). TX is followed by IL 877, WI 766, CA 553, AZ 520, WA 494, NY 327, MA 197 and MI 176.

Including today's CDC tally, the WHO tally is 11,956 confirmed swine flu cases in 42 countries. Philippines made the list for the first time. Chile cases jumped from 5 to 24 yesterday. Ecuador jumped from 1 to 8.

Update 5/21 8 AM: CDC shows 5764 lab confirmed cases with 9 deaths. Illinois and Wisconsin show same totals as yesterday and the overall count is only 54 higher today so I'll skip the leaderboard today. WHO tally shows 11034 swine flu cases in 41 countries. The Canada count jumped by 223, to 719.

Update 5/20 9 AM: CDC tally 5710 cases, 8 deaths, including the NY death and death in Missouri. Illinois has taken the overall lead with 794 cases, followed by WI 766, TX 556, CA 553, AZ 488, WA 411, NY 284, MA 175 and MI 171.  Including today's U.S. tally from CDC, the WHO swine flu tally is 10484 confirmed cases in 41 countries, with Greece just added to the list. No Ventura County updates. As a reminder, the Calif Dept of Public Health Swine Flu Hotline is 1-888-865-0564.

Update 5/19 8:30 AM: WHO tally 9830 cases in 40 countries, with Mexico at 3648 lab confirmed cases (up 545 from yesterday) and 72 deaths.  This tally includes yesterday's CDC total of 5123 cases so undoubtedly the worldwide swine tally is over 10,000 confirmed cases to date as of today.

I wrote too soon.  As I was typing this, the CDC updated its tally to 5469 cases in 48 states/DC, up 346 from yesterday.  Adding this 346 to the WHO tally gets the global H1N1 total to 10,176 cases. The CDC tally includes WI 766, WA 362, TX 556, NY 267, IL 707, FL 103, CA 553, AZ 488, FL 103, MA 156 and MI 165.  CDC reports 6 total deaths to date but that excludes the NY death reported Sunday.

Update 5/18 8 AM: CDC tally 5123 cases in 48 states/DC, including 5 deaths (not including the reported swine flu related death of an assistant principal in New York yesterday). Mississippi is on the list for the first time, with 3 probable/confirmed cases.  That leaves Wyoming, Alaska and West Virginia as the remaining swine flu-free zones. Swiniest states are IL 696, WI 613, TX 556, CA 553, AZ 476, WA 294, NY 254, MI 158 and MA 143.

WHO tally is 8829 cases (9238 with today's CDC tally) in 40 countries resulting in 74 deaths. Chile is the latest addition to the list.  Japan's tally grew from 7 to 125 cases since yesterday.

Update 5/17 9 AM: WHO tally 8480 H1N1 cases in 39 countries.  Hmm, that's odd, only 29 new confirmed cases since yesterday in 3 new countries.  Peru, India and Turkey are the latest additions to the list, with 1 case each.  No new CDC or Ventura County updates today.  There have been 4 swine flu related deaths in the U.S. to date, the latest was an Arizona woman suffering from a lung condition.

Update 5/16 10AM: No CDC updates (guess they don't work weekends). WHO tally 8451 cases in 36 countries. At this point I'm wondering how much longer they will be tracking swine flu cases in the lab.  But not to worry, Conejo Valley Guide will be providing updates until they uneventful end. Our goal is to provide as much useless information as possible on swine flu cases, which we have been doing now for nearly 3 weeks!

Update 5/15 8 AM: CDC shows 4714 confirmed cases in 47 states/DC. IL still in lead with 638 but WI on their heels with 613. TX at 506 has passed CA 504. AZ 435, NY 242, WA 246, MI 142 and MA 135. WHO shows 7520 cases (7937 w/latest CDC tally) in 34 countries. Hmm, how it is that there are still zero confirmed swine flu cases in Russia and India.

Update 5/14 8 AM: CDC tally 4298 cases in 47 states/DC. Only WY, MS, WV and AL remain untouched by swine flu. Hmmm...maybe a conspiracy theory but why is it that these 4 state ALL voted Republican last year!? Leaderboard: IL 620, WI 510, CA 473, TX 439, AZ 431, NY 224, WA 195, MI 141, MA 109.  WHO tally 6497 cases (but actual count is at least 7443 w/latest CDC tally) in 33 countries, including 2446 in Mexico.

Update 5/13 8 AM: VC Star reports that county swine flu crisis is over. Ventura County Public Health office yesterday reported that 2 more unrelated cases identified over the weekend - 2 female teenagers, one from Camarillo and one from Newbury Park. One has recovered and the other is recovering. 3 cases were identified on 5/12, a 90 yr old female, a 72 yr old female and an 8 year old from Oxnard. PHO says "swine flu appears to be no more dangerous than the regular seasonal flu."

CDC tally this a.m. was 3352 cases in 45 states. IL 592, WI gaining ground at 496, TX 293, CA 221, NY 211, AZ 187, WA 176. WHO tally is 5728 cases in 33 countries, but that includes yesterday's CDC tally of 3009, so actual tally is at least 6071.  Interesting that there are still no reported swine flu cases in Africa and barely any in the middle east (just 7 in Israel).

Update 5/12 8 AM: CDC tally 3009 cases in 45 states/DC. Montana has its first H1N1 recipient, leaving AR, MS, WV, ND, WY and AK as the only swine-flu-free states remaining. Illinois has a commanding lead of 554 lab confirmed cases, followed by Wisconsin 437, Texas 206, Calif 193, NY 192, Ariz 187, and Washington 176. WHO tally 5251 cases in 30 countries, including 2059 in Mexico with 56 reported deaths. Hmm, I don't think anyone's actually paying attention anymore but I'm determined to update this daily until the CDC and WHO stop reporting on H1N1!

Update 5/11 9:45 AM: CDC tally 2600 cases in 44 states. WI 384, CA 191, IL 487, NY 190, TX 179, WA 128, AZ 182, MI 130, etc.  WHO tally 4694 cases in 30 countries.

Update 5/10 8 AM: CDC tally 2532 cases in 44 states, including 3 deaths (2 TX, 1 WA).  Calif has 282 confirmed cases, up from 171 yesterday. IL is now 466. WHO now shows 4379 cases in 29 countries, with Mexico now at 1626. Costa Rica has 8 lab confirmed cases, including 1 death.

Update 5/9 8 AM: CDC tally 2254 cases in 44 states. Vermont added to the list.  Not on the list are MT, WY, ND, AL, WV, AR, MS. IL 421, WI 317, TX 110, WA 83, UT 60, NY 190, MI 103, FL 43, DE 44, CO 41, CA 171, AZ 183 and so on.  WHO tally 3440 cases in 29 countries. Mexico has 1364.  Japan reports 3, New Zealand 5.

Update 5/8 11:45 PM: Ventura County Public Health announced 14th swine flu case (male Oxnard resident in his 20s) in the county tonight though the latest tally from yesterday was 10, so I'm not sure what the 11th, 12th and 13th cases were.  Reuters tonight announced that Japan and Australia discovered their first cases of H1N1.

Update 5/8 8 AM: CDC tally 1639 cases in 43 states (including DC).  Top states are IL 392, Wisconsin 240 (wow, that has ballooned), NY 174, AZ 131, CA 107, TX 93, MA 83, MI 49, DE 39, TN 36, WA 33, SC 29, IN 29 and CO 25. South Dakota on the list for the first time with 1 case.  WHO tally 2500 cases in 25 countries, including 1204 in Mexico.  Japan hasn't made the list yet.

Update 5/7 8 PM: WHO tally 2371 H1N1 cases in 24 countries, updated to reflect CDC tally. Poland reports its first swine flu recipient.

Update 5/7 8 AM: WHO tally 2099 cases in 23 countries, most of the increase from the Mexico tally, which is now 1112 confirmed cases and 42 deaths. Canada toll is 201.  CDC tally 896 cases in 41 states, IL up to 204, CA 106, TX 91, MA 71, NY 98.  States NOT on the list are Alaska, MT, WY, ND, SD, VT, AR, MS, WV.  Ten total cases to date in Ventura County; 3 latest yesterday were a toddler and teenager from Oxnard and a Simi male in his 30s.  All are recovering.

Update 5/6 7 PM: WHO tally updated to 1893 cases in 23 countries, including 642 U.S. cases, 942 in Mexico and 165 in Canada.

Update 5/6 8 AM: CDC tally 642 cases in 41 states including AL 4, AZ 48, CA 67, CO 17, CT 4, DE 33, FL 5, GA 3, HI 3, ID 1, IL 122, IN 15, IA 1, KS 2, KY 2, LA 7, ME 1, MD 4, MA 45, MI 8, MN 1, MI 2, NB 4, NV 5, NH 2, NJ 7, NM 3, NY 97, NC 7, OH 5, OK 1, OR 15, PA 1, RI 2, SC 16, TN 2, TX 61 (2 deaths), UT 1, VA 3, WA 9, WI 6.  WHO tally is 1516 cases in 22 countries (but that includes the 403 U.S. cases from 5/5, so the tally really is at least 1755...but who's counting...besides me).

Update 5/5 10 PM: WHO statistics now 1490 cases in 21 countries.  Mexico tally up to 822 confirmed cases and 29 deaths. 2nd confirmed U.S. death in the news today - a woman in Texas who apparently had chronic medical problems.

Update 5/5 3 PM: Ventura Health Dept notes 6th and 7th H1N1 flu cases in Ventura county, including the Redwood Middle School student and an Oxnard resident in her 20s.

Update 5/5 1 PM: CDC issued new guidance 2 hours ago that says schools don't HAVE to close if swine flu is present, but to use judgment.  Newbury Park High School announces at 1 PM that school is back in session tomorrow, May 6th.  Sorry kids, no more Swine Flu Vacation for you!

Update 5/5 8 AM: WHO statistics update - 1124 confirmed cases in 21 countries. Canada now at 140 and Spain 54. CDC tally 403 cases in 38 states, still just 1 death. Some random states: CA 49, IL 82, MD 4, NB 1, NY 90, OR 15, SC 16, TX 41, WI 3. See the entire list at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.  A week ago the CDC tally was 64.

Update 5/4 4 PM: Newbury Park High School closed for a week after discovering a student is probable for H1N1 influenza.

Update 5/4 8 AM: CDC tally 279 confirmed U.S. cases in 36 states (hmm, don't see Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Montana, Oklahoma and the Dakotas on the list yet). Still just 1 death (the Mexican toddler in Texas). Calif tally up to 30. Keep washing those hands.

WHO tally is 1085 cases in 21 countries, including 590 in Mexico. I now see El Salvador, Portgugal and Italy on the list. Schwarzenegger Twitter at http://twitter.com/Schwarzenegger says 130 "probable" cases in Calif.

Update 5/3 6:30 PM: WHO tally 898 cases in 18 countries, highest cases in Mexico (506 w/19 deaths), U.S. (226), Canada (85), Spain (40) and U.K. (15). Turning the tables, WHO reported that a farm worker in Alberta, Canada who returned from Mexico exposed a swine herd to H1N1. Tune your AM Radio to 850 for information on Swine Flu in Ventura County.

Update 5/3 7:30 AM: WHO tally 787 cases in 17 countries. Mexico tally is 506 as previous specimens continue to be tested. Ireland and Costa Rica now on the list. The Ventura County Public Health Dept announced a 4th probable ase of H1N1 flu yesterday, another Art Haycox Elementary School student. CDC tally now 226 confirmed cases in 30 states. Here are the details: AZ 18, CA 26, CO 4, CT 2, DE 10, FL 3, IL 3, IN 3, IA 1, KS 2, KY 1, MS 7, MI 2, MN 1, MS 1, NB 1, NV 1, NH 1, NJ 7, NM 1, NY 63, OH 3, RI 1, SC 15, TN 1, TX 40, UT 1, VA 3, WI 3. Whew.

Update 5/2 8 AM: CDC tally: 160 total U.S. cases in 21 states. No new deaths. Top 5 states NY 50, TX 28, CA 24, SC 13, MA 8. WHO tally now 658 cases in 16 countries (Costa Rica the latest addition). VC Public Health Dept says it is safe to purchase pigs for the Ventura County Fair.

Update 5/2 1 AM: WHO tally is now 615 cases of H1N1 in 15 countries. Mexican has 397 confirmed cases (16 deaths) based on ongoing testing of previous specimens. Korea and France are added to the list of countries with 1 confirmed case each. WHO continues to indicate that well cooked pork poses no risk of H1N1 infection. (In fact, I had some at lunch today and feel just dandy.)

Update 5/1 9 PM: WHO updated tally to 367 cases in 13 countries: U.S., Mexico, Canada, Austria, Hong Kong, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and U.K.

Update 5/1 8:30 AM: CDC tally as of this morning: 141 "lab confirmed" cases: AZ 4, CA 13, CO 2, DE 4, IL 3, IN 3, KS 2, KY 1, MA 2, MI 2, MN 2, Nebrasca 1, NV 1, NJ 5, NY 50, OH 1, SC 16, TX 28, Virginia 2. WHO reports 331 "official" cases of H1N1 flu in 11 countries, including the 109 in the U.S. Follow VC Public Health Dept on Twitter: http://twitter.com/PublicHealthVC

Update 4/30 8 PM: A 3rd Ventura County probably case of H1N1 (swine) flu at 5 p.m. today. He is a Ventura resident and is recovering without need for medication. The Ventura County Swine Flu hotline is 805.981.5175.

Update 4/30 10 AM: WHO will now start refering to this virus as influenza A (H1N1) instead of "swine flu" to reduce confusion over the risk of pigs. Eating cooked pork does not impact your risk of getting this flu! Pigs are getting a really bad rap because of this. Egypt as a precaution is slaughtering 300,000 pigs. WHO today reports 257 confirmed cases of A (H1N1), including the 109 cases.

Update 4/30 7:30 AM: CDC confirmed U.S. swine flu cases is 109: AZ 1, CA 14, IN 1, KS 2, MA 2, MI 1, NV 1, NY 50, OH 1, South Carolina 10, TX 26. L.A. Times says scientists see this flu strain as relatively mild. Keep in mind that 36,000 people in the U.S. die as a result of the flu each year. Keep things in perspective.

The first 2 probable cases of swine flu in Ventura Countyannounced today by the Public Health Dept. Identified last night. An elementary school child and a middle school child from Oxnard (both are recovering). As a result, Art Haycox Elementary School and Charles Blackstock Junior High School will be closed down from 4/30 to 5/6, with students returning to school on 5/7.

Update 4/29 8 AM: CDC "confirmed" human swine flu cases in the U.S. is now 91, including 1 death: Arizona 1, Calif 14, Indiana 1, Kansas 2, Mass 2, Michigan 2, Nevada 1, NY 51, Ohio 1, Texas 16 (1 death - a 22 month old Mexican toddler who was visiting relatives in Texas on April 4th).

From The World Health Organization (WHO): As of 18:00 GMT, 29 April 2009, 9 countries have officially reported 148 cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The U.S. has reported 91 lab confirmed human cases, with one death. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases including 7 deaths. The following countries have reported confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (13), Germany (3), Israel (2), New Zealand (3), Spain (4) and the United Kingdom (5).

Update 4/28 10:45 AM: Case of swine flu found at NY office of Ernst & Young yesterday. She has been treated and is recovering. This CBS news post indicates over 2,000 people in Mexico have been infected and at least 149 of these have died as a result. Wash your hands and be careful!

Update 4/28 8 AM: 64 lab confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. reported by CDC: Calif 10, Kansas 2, NY 45, Ohio 1, Texas 6.

Update 4/27 7:48 PM: All 40 reported swine flu cases have fully recovered. Only 1 of the 40 reported hospitalization. CDC recommends that U.S. travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico.

Update 4/27 10 AM: 40 reported cases in the U.S., up from 20 yesterday, representing an increase in reported NY cases from 8 to 28 resulting from a spring break trip to Mexico. Associated Press indicates another 17 probable cases in NY.

Reported cases of swine flu in the U.S. is 20 (7 in CA, 8 in NY, 2 in Kansas, 2 in Texas and 1 in Ohio) as of this morning and the Centers for Disease Control has issued a health advisory regarding the disease. For regular swine flu updates, visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/swineflu. Nearly 1000 cases of swine flu have been reported in Mexico.

What is swine flu?

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it’s possible for swine flu viruses to spread from person to person also.

Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.?

In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.

Is this swine flu virus contagious?

CDC has determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How serious is swine flu infection?

Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

How do you catch swine flu?

Spread of swine flu can occur in two ways:

• Through contact with infected pigs or environments contaminated with swine flu viruses.

• Through contact with a person with swine flu. Human-to-human spread of swine flu has been documented also and is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?

People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in San Diego County or Imperial County California or Guadalupe County, Texas and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing

• Bluish skin color

• Not drinking enough fluids

• Not waking up or not interacting

• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

• Sudden dizziness

• Confusion

• Severe or persistent vomiting

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?

No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.