# 3037
Even though this is a Saturday, and they held a similar conference less than 24 hours earlier, the CDC held another teleconference for media on the the Swine Flu situation today.
They expect to hold another one tomorrow.
The two speakers were:
- Anne Schuchat, M.D., Interim Deputy Director for Science and Public Health Program
- Daniel Jernigan, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Epidemiology, Influenza Division
If there was a theme to today’s conference, it was that there is a lot we still don’t know about this new virus.
- How widespread is it in the United States and Around the world?
- Why does it appear to be so much more severe in Mexico?
- Will we find severe cases here in the US?
- How transmissible is it?
- Is the outbreak in Mexico still increasing? Or has it peaked?
The answer to these, and a great number of other questions posed by the media was an honest, “We don’t know, yet.”
What we do know is that the CDC is not reluctant to admit that their level of concern is `very high’.
According to Dr. Schuchat, she stated `we are very worried’. That the situation is `serious’, and now is the time to prepare.
What we do know right now is that there are 8 confirmed Swine Flu cases in the United States. Nearly all have been`mild’.
The number of genuine cases in Mexico is unknown.
The picture there is clouded by difficulties in surveillance, and a plethora of other pathogens capable of producing similar symptoms in the community.
The disease `appears’ to be severe in Mexico. Exactly why, is unknown.
The numbers are dynamic, and are changing rapidly.
The CDC urges the media, and the public, to be prepared for changes in this story, and in their interim recommendations.
State and Local health departments have the lead on most of these investigations, and the CDC is only called in at their request.
The CDC is assisting some Southern California Health Departments, and is on the ground in Mexico.
The good news is the upgrades made to testing laboratories around the country due to concerns over bird flu are paying a dividend today. They are better able to identify this swine flu virus than they would have been, according to doctor Schuchat.
The CDC is preparing the virus for vaccine production, and is not focusing on the WHO Pandemic Phase level.
Any vaccine, however, is months away – and will only be available in limited quantities at first.
A transcript of this (nearly 1 hour) teleconference will probably be posted in the next 24-48 hours.
When it is, I’ll link to it.
The swine flu outbreak continues to be an evolving story, and is likely to remain one for days or even weeks to come.
We are awaiting a news conference, scheduled for 3 PM EDT this afternoon from the New York City Health Department.
Stay tuned.
