Posted on Sat, Nov. 07, 2009

e-mail	print	RSS	reprint
AIM	Digg it	del.icio.us	Facebook

KDHE: Flu decreasing in Kansas

BY KAREN SHIDELER

The Wichita Eagle

Influenza activity appears to be decreasing across Kansas, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday in its weekly H1N1 report.

It said visits to doctors for flu symptoms and the number of schools reporting high absenteeism rates were down. The percentage of deaths linked to pneumonia or influenza was down, too.

But KDHE also said Friday that a 53-year-old woman from south-central Kansas has died from infection with the H1N1 virus. She is the 17th Kansan whose death has been linked to H1N1.

KDHE said the woman had an underlying health condition that put her at greater risk for complications from influenza. It did not specify where she was from but said its south-central Kansas designation includes Pawnee, Stafford, Reno, Chase, Edwards, Pratt, Kingman, Kiowa, Comanche, Barber, Harper and Cowley counties.

Also Friday, the Sedgwick County Health Department said its H1N1 vaccine clinic will continue to be open next week, offering vaccine to prioritized groups.

Though influenza activity is down in Kansas, it still is high, as it is nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Kansas, 8.9 percent of all doctor's office visits in the past week were for flu symptoms, according to KDHE. Nationwide, the rate was 7.7 percent, CDC director Anne Schuchat said Friday.

Among Kansas schools, absenteeism rates were dropping at all levels. Fifteen percent of elementary schools reported absenteeism rates of 10 percent or more; that was down from 33 percent. In Sedgwick County, fewer than 10 percent of the elementary schools reported high absenteeism.

The Sedgwick County clinic will be open today and next week to vaccinate these groups:

* Health care workers

* Pregnant women

* Children 6 months through 4 years old

* Children 5 through 18 who have chronic medical conditions

* Caregivers and household contacts of infants younger than 6 months old

The clinic is at 4031 E. Harry. It will be open from 2 to 7 p.m. today, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Nov. 14. It is closed Wednesday, Veterans Day.

The Health Department also will give H1N1 vaccine to the priority groups at two mobile clinics Tuesday: from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Leekers, 6223 N. Broadway, and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Valley Center Public Safety Building Courtroom, 616 E. Fifth in Valley Center.

Reach Karen Shideler at 316-268-6674 or kshideler@wichitaeagle.com.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.CommentBody@

@Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@