CDC activates emergency operations center to deal with the flu

<p>Field teams from the nations top health agency have been deployed to help states with the nations flu outbreak, and the agencys top health official reported Friday 42 children have died from the flu this year.</p><p>Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the agency has activated its emergency operations center to manage the nationwide outbreak of flu cases for the first time since the worldwide SARS outbreak in the spring.</p><p>The child deaths from flu are very sobering and very worrisome, Gerberding said, adding that at least 16 of the children who died were ill prior to catching the flu and that more than half the deaths involved children under 5. She said more information on the deaths would be released by CDC.</p><p>We are hoping to get that information out as quickly as possible, she said.</p><p>Gerberding said the CDC field teams have been sent to states to evaluate the effectiveness of this years flu shot among patients, children and health care personnel.</p><p>The CDC also is urging people not to crowd emergency rooms. The agency posted information on its Web site Friday to help people decide when they need to go to the hospital and when they should stay home. Previous CDC research has indicated about 92 children died yearly from the flu in the 1990s.</p><p>Flu is something that for the vast majority of people can be managed at home, Gerberding said. Its not necessary to seek medical attention unless there is concern.</p><p>Gerberding said there is no reason why the flu season should interfere with holiday plans, but she also urged people to exercise some common sense in taking precautions against the flu.</p><p>Health officials recommend that people cover the mouth and nose when coughing or washing hands to get rid of the virus. She also encouraged people who are sick to remain home instead of possibly spreading the virus at work or school.</p><p>The first major test of the operations center came after SARS, the deadly respiratory disease, was first detected in China last November.</p><p>At least 36 states have been labeled by the agency as having widespread flu activity, the nations highest outbreak level for influenza, and no state has been untouched by the virus.</p><p>The flu season has struck early, and many areas have reported flu shot shortages as demand quickly outpaced supply. But the government has worked to purchase remaining flu shot supplies for states.</p><p>During the SARS outbreak, the CDC was able to distribute more than 2.5 million alerts to incoming travelers on more than 300,000 direct and 2 million indirect flights to the United States. It also broadcast the latest information to China about the disease, which killed 774 people and sickened more than 8,000.</p><p>___</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>HASH(0x286489c)</p>