Emergency Operations Center Update on Influenza A(H1N1) May 22

EOC Situation Report #20
Influenza A(H1N1)
Friday, 22 May 2009
6:00 pm EDT

Status of Influenza A(H1N1) in the Americas*

*Source: Pan American Health Organization

The World Health Organization maintains pandemic alert of Phase 5.

For a report on cases of Influenza A(H1N1) in other regions, updated daily, visit http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_05_22/en/index.html

PAHO/WHO Response

In this week’s press briefing from PAHO, Dr. Jon Andrus recounted important topics about influenza A(H1N1). Click here for transcripts of the press briefings. Highlights include:
- PAHO encourages all people at risk to be vaccinated for seasonal influenza as soon as possible. Those people are
  - older adults and young infants,
  - pregnant women,
  - and people with chronic disease.
- Countries should continue implementing their emergency response plans.
- PAHO continues to support countries with antiviral medications, laboratory support, and when they are available, vaccines.
- This epidemic will take the greatest toll on the poor, who are the most vulnerable. We need to provide all the support we can to poorer countries to help them prepare and respond.
Teams of experts recruited by PAHO from the Region and deployed to Mexico and countries in Central America continue to provide support in various areas including: logistics, emergency management, health systems, mental health, risk communication, epidemiology, and public health.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, convened a High-Level Consultation for all Member States at the start of the Sixty-second World Health Assembly to discuss lessons learnt, and to highlight the challenges that now confront the world community from the influenza A(H1N1). Click here for the full report.

Resources

The weekly epidemiological record from WHO contains a large portion dedicated to the influenza A(H1N1). Click here for the full record. Interesting findings include:
- Clinical observations from affected countries,
- Initial WHO guidance on clinical management of human infection with new influenza A(H1N1) virus.
WHO has also released two other important documents:
- Clinical management of human infection with new influenza A(H1N1) virus: initial guidance. Click here for the full report.
- Influenza A(H1N1) patient care checklist. Click here for the full checklist.
Pan American Health Organization website.
World Health Organization website.
For constant updates on the influenza A(H1N1) situation, check the PAHO and WHO channels in Twitter.