Health Advisory
INFLUENZA UPDATE

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is providing the following information to the medical community concerning influenza in Delaware.

Cases

Three culture confirmed cases have been reported to DPH as of December 9, 2005

• 10-month old female with Influenza Type A from New Castle County
• 70 year old female, also from New Castle County and Type A
• 83 year old male, also from New Castle County and Type A

Influenza-Like Illness

All hospitals and selected long term care facilities, school wellness centers, large corporations and stand alone medical clinics also report weekly, the number of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) cases (The CDC definition of ILI is fever equal to or greater than 100 degrees F, oral or equivalent, and cough and/or sore throat, in the absence of a known cause). ILI activity has not increased so far this year.

Vaccine Availability

Residents can receive flu shots by appointment at the following locations:

• Hudson State Service Center, Newark, 302-283-7587
• Northeast State Service Center, Wilmington, 302-552-3609
• Middletown Health Center, Middletown, 302-378-5200
• Claymont Family Health Services, Claymont, 302-798-9755
• Milford State Service Center, Milford, 302-424-7150
• Williams State Service Center, Dover, 302-739-4726
• Georgetown State Service Center, Georgetown, 302-856-5213
• Shipley State Service Center, Seaford, 302-628-2006

These clinics are for adults over age 18 in one of the following groups:

• Adults 50 years and older;
• Have a chronic medical conditions;
• Women who will be pregnant during flu season;
• Residents of long-term care facilities;
• Healthcare workers involved in direct patient care; and
• Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of people in the other high-risk categories.

DPH has also distributed a portion of the free doses to 32 medical practices and 8 health care facilities statewide, whose orders were cancelled by manufacturers. Physicians must use these doses for high risk patients and can not charge for the dose itself. Residents are encouraged to contact their family health providers to receive this vaccine.

It is possible that additional vaccine may be made available to DPH. Health Advisories will be sent if this should occur.

Reminder

DPH strongly encourages other providers (for example, school wellness centers, long term care facilities, physicians, etc.) to submit influenza specimens to the DPH Laboratory for culture confirmation and subtyping (throat/NP/nasal wash) to help with surveillance. Culture and subtype testing by the DPH Laboratory is done free of charge & results are sent back to the requesting physician or hospital as soon as test results are available. To submit a specimen for culture, contact the DPH laboratory (302-223-1520) to request influenza virus isolation kits and obtain information about specimen transport to the laboratory.

For more information

DPH Website: http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/

DPH Laboratory: (302) 223-1520

DPH Immunization Hotline: 800-282-8672

DPH Epidemiology: 888-295-5156

CDC Influenza Website: www.cdc.gov/flu

• Other ways to prevent the spread of influenza
• Infection Control
• FluMist
• AntiVirals