{"id":10227,"date":"2025-03-01T14:03:12","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T19:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/dhan260\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T00:50:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T05:50:30","slug":"dhan260","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/php\/alerts\/dhan260\/","title":{"rendered":"php\/alerts\/dhan260 ~  Division of Public Health &#8212; Health Alert  &#8211; Delaware Health and Social Services &#8211; State of Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-swiftype-index=\"true\">\n\n\n\n  <br>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"container\" id=\"main_header\"> \n\n    <!-- BEGIN readspeaker div -->\n\n    <div class=\"rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve\" id=\"readspeaker_button1\">\n\n      <a accesskey=\"L\" class=\"rsbtn_play\" href=\"https:\/\/app-na.readspeaker.com\/cgi-bin\/rsent?customerid=7262&#038;lang=en_us&#038;readid=main_content&#038;url=https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/php\/alerts\/dhan260.html\" title=\"Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker\">\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_left rsimg rspart\"><span class=\"rsbtn_text\"><span>Listen<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart\"><\/span>\n\n      <\/a>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- END readspeaker div -->\n\n\n\n    \n\n    <header class=\"pull-left\">\n\n      <h1>Delaware Health Alert Network #<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Number\"]-->260 <!--[END]--> <\/h1>\n\n      <h2> <!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Date\"]-->November 30, 2011 2:29pm <!--[END]--> <\/h2>\n\n    <\/header>\n\n  <\/div><br>\n\n \n\n  <div class=\"container\">\n\n    <div class=\"row\">\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-3\" id=\"leftCol\">\n\n        <div class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\">\n\n          <div class=\"panel sectionmenu_panel\">\n\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\">\n\n              <p class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"agency_nav\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseOne\"><strong><i class=\"fa fa-align-justify fa-fw\"><\/i> Public Health Menu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" id=\"collapseOne\">\n\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" id=\"clf_nav\">\n\n                  <ul class=\"nav nav-stacked nav-pills-clf\" id=\"agency_sidebar\">\n    <li><a href=\"\/dph\/\"><h2>Home <i class=\"fa fa-home fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a><\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#agency_sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#HomeMenu\"><h2>About <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"HomeMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/about.html\">About DPH<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/sections.html\">Sections &#038; Programs<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ofclocations.html\">Office Locations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/contact.html\">Contact Info<\/a><\/li>\n      \n        <li><a href=\"\/calendars.html\" target=\"_blank\">Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#ServicesMenu\"><h2>Services <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"ServicesMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesaz.html\">A-Z Services<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/environmental.html\">Air &#038; Water Quality<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ss\/vitalstats.html\">Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/clinics.html\">Clinics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthdatastats.html\">Health Data &#038; Statistics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/emsps.html\">Emergency Preparedness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthandwellness.html\">Health &#038; Wellness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthyhomes.html\">Healthy Homes<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthywp.html\">Healthy Workplaces<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/labs.html\">Laboratory<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/feir.html\">Restaurant Inspections<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/screen.html\">Screening and Testing<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/chca\/dphwichominf01.html\">WIC<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesadd.html\">Additional Services<\/a><\/li><li>\n      <\/li><\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#InformationMenu\"><h2>Information <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n        <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"InformationMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/factsheetsaz.html\">A-Z Fact Sheets<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/pubreportsaz.html\">A-Z Publications &#038; Reports<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/diseasesandconditions.html\">Diseases &#038; Conditions<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/faq.html\">FAQ&#8217;s<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/alerts.html\">Health Alerts<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthylifestyles.html\">Healthy Lifestyles<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hipaa.html\">HIPAA<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/regs.html\">Regulations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/forms.html\">Request Forms<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/links.html\">Links &#038; Resources<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"http:\/\/delaware.gov\/help\/foia_request.shtml\">FOIA Request Form<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a id=\"SocialMenuHeader\"><h2>Connect <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-o-up fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul id=\"SocialMenu\">\n        <li class=\"facebook\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DEPublicHealth\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Division of Public Health Facebook Page\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Delaware_DHSS\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Delaware Health and Social Services Twitter Account\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n        <!-- <li class=\"googleplus\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-google-plus-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Google +<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"flickr\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-flickr fa-lg\"><\/i> Flickr<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"youtube\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-youtube-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Youtube<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"instagram\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-instagram fa-lg\"><\/i> Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"linkedin\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Linkedin<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"pinterest\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-pinterest-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Pinterest<\/a><\/li> -->\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n\n        <\/div><br>\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-9\" id=\"main_content\"> \n\n  \n\n<h2 class=\"center\">Health\n\n<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHANType\"]-->\n\n\n\n   Alert<!--[END]-->\n\n<br>\n\n<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Heading\"]-->\n\n\n\nDELAWARE&#8217;S FIRST CONFIRMED INFLUENZA CASE FOR 2011-2012<!--[END]-->\n\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<!--[type=HTMLEDIT name=\"Content\"]-->\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Delaware\u2019s Division of Public Health (DPH) reports the state\u2019s first laboratory-confirmed case of influenza for the 2011-2012\n\n\n  flu season. On November29, 2011, the Delaware Public Health Laboratoryconfirmed a case of Influenza A\/H3 in an 11 year-old from New\n\n\n  Castle County who was seen at emergency department of one of our acute care hospitals. The childis recovering at home.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Reporting\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Confirmed cases of influenza and influenza-associated mortality should be immediately reported to DPH, Bureau of Epidemiology at\n\n\n  1-888-295-5156.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Surveillance\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Beginning in October each year, DPH monitors the occurrence of influenza and influenza-like illness using sentinel physician network.\n\n\n  Sentinel physicians are recruited and appointed by DPH and report weekly the percentage of influenza-like illness (ILI) seen during\n\n\n  office visits. Sentinel physicians also provide specimens for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing at the DPH Laboratory. ILI is also\n\n\n  reported by hospital emergency departments, federally qualified health centers, selected long-term care facilities, selected colleges and\n\n\n  universities, the Department of Corrections, and selected day care providers. Generally, ILI reports have not increased in Delaware\n\n\n  suggesting that influenza, while present, has not yet been widely circulated.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Infection Control Guidance\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Preventing transmission of influenza virus within healthcare settings requires a multi-faceted approach. The spread of influenza virus\n\n\n  can occur among patients, healthcare providers, and visitors. Healthcare providers can also acquire influenza from household or community\n\n\n  contacts and, in turn, transmit the virus to patients. The core strategies for preventing the spread of influenza are:\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>Administer influenza vaccine to patients and to staff.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Implement respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Manage all ill healthcare providers and staff.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Adhere to infection-control precautions for all patient care activities, especially and aerosol-generating procedures.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Implement environmental and engineering infection control measures.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Respiratory Hygiene Recommendations\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>When there is increased respiratory infection activity in the community (increased school\/work absenteeism, increased office visits\n\n\n  for respiratory illness), offer masks to anyone who is coughing.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>When space permits, encourage anyone who is coughing to sit at least three feet away from others in waiting areas.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Advise healthcare staff to use droplet precautions (wear a surgical or procedure mask for close contact) in addition to standard\n\n\n  precautions when examining a patient with symptoms of a respiratory infection, especially if fever is present. These precautions should\n\n\n  be maintained for seven days after patient\u2019s illness onset or for 24 hours after the resolution of the fever and respiratory\n\n\n  symptoms (whichever is longer) while a patient is in a healthcare facility.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Healthcare staff should wear respiratory protection equivalent to a fitted N95 respirator during aerosol-generating procedures such\n\n\n  as bronchoscopy, sputum induction, intubation and extubation, autopsies, and open suctioning of airways.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Rapid Diagnostic Tests\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Reliability and interpretation of results\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>Sensitivities are approximately 50-70% when compared with viral culture or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),\n\n\n  and the specificity of rapid diagnostic tests for influenza is approximately 90-95%.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>False-positive results are more likely to occur when disease prevalence in the community is low and are generally found at the\n\n\n  beginning and at the end of the flu season.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>False-negative results are more likely to occur when disease prevalence is high in the community.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Minimize false results by:\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>Using rapid diagnostic tests with high sensitivity and specificity.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Collecting specimens as early in the illness as possible (within four to five days of symptom onset).\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Following manufacturer\u2019s instructions, including proper collection and handling of specimens.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Considering sending specimens for viral culture or PCR to confirm positive results of rapid tests, especially when community\n\n\n  prevalence of influenza is low.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  For more information on testing, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/diagnosis\/index.htm\">http:\/\/cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/diagnosis\/index.htm<\/a>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Vaccination\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Current guidance can be found at: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/vaccination\/\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/vaccination\/<\/a>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Antiviral Drug Treatment\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Current guidance can be found at: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/antivirals\/index.htm\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/antivirals\/index.htm<\/a>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Resources\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>DPH Bureau of Epidemiology 1-888-295-5156 or 302-744-1033\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>DPH website at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.flu.delaware.gov\">http:\/\/www.flu.delaware.gov<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>CDC website: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/index.htm\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/index.htm<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Delaware\u2019s influenza data: <a href=\"\/dph\/epi\/influenzawkly.html\">http:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/epi\/influenzawkly.html<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>National influenza data: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/weekly\/fluactivity.htm\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/weekly\/fluactivity.htm<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  ************************************\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  You are receiving this email because you are a registered member of the Delaware Health Alert Network. If you are not a member and would\n\n\n  like to subscribe, please register at <a href=\"https:\/\/healthalertde.org\">https:\/\/healthalertde.org<\/a>\n\n\n<\/p><!--[END]-->\n\n  \n\n        <div class=\"panel panel-danger\">\n\n          <div class=\"panel-heading\">    \n\n      <h2>Categories of Health Alert messages:<\/h2>\n\n       <\/div>\n\n       <div class=\"panel-body\">\n\n      <ul>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Alert:<\/strong> Conveys the highest level of importance; warrants immediate action or attention.<\/li>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Advisory:<\/strong> Provides important information for a specific incident or situation; may not require immediate action.<\/li>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Update:<\/strong> Provides updated information regarding an incident or situation; unlikely to require immediate action.<\/li>\n\n            <\/ul>\n\n         <div><strong>NOTE: This page is for informational purposes only and dated material (e.g. temporary websites) may not be available.<\/strong><\/div>\n\n          <\/div> \n\n        <\/div><br>  \n\n\n\n      <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><!-- \/container -->\n\n  <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen Delaware Health Alert Network #260 November 30, 2011 2:29pm Public Health Menu Home About About DPH Sections &#038; Programs Office Locations Contact Info Calendar Services A-Z Services Air &#038; Water Quality Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records Clinics Health Data &#038; Statistics Emergency Preparedness Health &#038; Wellness Healthy Homes Healthy Workplaces Laboratory Restaurant Inspections Screening [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":9294,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10227","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10227"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10227\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11403,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10227\/revisions\/11403"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}