# 6529
The CDC has posted their weekly update on the emerging H2N2v (variant) flu virus, and there’s good news and sad news:
The good news is that only a dozen additional cases have been confirmed, and no additional states have reported infections. It is highly likely, however, that some number of cases are going unreported.
That said, were this virus spreading in an efficient and sustained manner in the human population, we would expect to see a lot more cases being reported.
The sad news – not unexpectedly – is that a death has finally been attributed to this variant virus.
This was pretty much Inevitable, given that this virus has been described as being roughly equivalent in virulence to seasonal flu, which claims thousands of lives each year.
The CDC reports:
Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus Outbreaks
Today, CDC is reporting 12 additional cases of H3N2 variant virus (H3N2v) infection, as well as the first H3N2v-associated death, which was reported by the state of Ohio. The death occurred in an older adult with multiple underlying health conditions who reportedly had direct exposure to pigs in a fair setting.
While limited person-to-person spread of this virus has been detected and likely continues to occur sporadically, no sustained community transmission has been found. CDC is monitoring this situation and working with states to respond to these evolving outbreaks. The agency continues to urge people at high risk from serious flu complications to stay away from pigs and pig arenas at fairs this summer.
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The 12 new cases reported this week are from the states of Minnesota (1), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), and Wisconsin (7). Cumulative totals for 2011 and 2012 by state are available in the H3N2v case count table.
Graphs from today’s FluView report also illustrate the drop in new cases, and provides some detail on the level of H3N2v activity.
2011-2012 Influenza Season Week 34 ending August 25, 2012
All data are preliminary and may change as more reports are received.
U.S. Virologic Surveillance:
WHO and NREVSS collaborating laboratories located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. report to CDC the number of respiratory specimens tested for influenza and the number positive by influenza type and subtype. Region specific data can be found at http://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/fluview/fluportaldashboard.html.
Novel Influenza A Virus:
From July 12 through August 30, 2012, a total of 288 infections with influenza A (H3N2) variant (H3N2v) viruses have been reported in ten states (Hawaii [1], Illinois [4], Indiana [138], Maryland [12], Michigan [5], Minnesota [2], Ohio [101], Pennsylvania [7], West Virginia [3], and Wisconsin [15]). So far during the current outbreaks, 15 confirmed cases have been hospitalized as a result of their illness; one death has occurred.
The vast majority of cases have been associated with swine exposure though likely instances of human-to-human transmission have been identified. At this time no ongoing human-to-human transmission has been identified.
Public health and agriculture officials are investigating the extent of disease among humans and swine, and additional cases are likely to be identified as the investigation continues. Because of reporting deadlines, the state totals reported by CDC may not always be consistent with those reported by state health departments. If there is a discrepancy between these two counts, data from the state health departments should be used as the most accurate number.
The concern here is less about the public health threat this variant virus poses today - and more about the threat it could pose in the future - if it better adapts to transmit between humans.
Each human infection, unfortunately, gives the virus another opportunity to adapt, making prevention of infection all the more important.
Meanwhile, we continue to watch these weekly tally’s with considerable interest, looking for any indications that something has changed.
