Illinois reports 12 new deaths from H1N1 swine flu

November 13, 2009 2:36 PM

Illinois is reporting 12 new deaths and 368 new hospitalizations from swine flu in the last week.
Friday's update brings to 48 the number of Illinois swine flu deaths since April. Nearly 1,400 Illinois residents have been hospitalized since the global epidemic began.

Illinois Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold says some health departments have enough nasal spray vaccine, but still need injectable vaccine. The Tribune reported today that Will County health officials have turned away people seeking the vaccine, while more than 8,000 vaccine doses sit unused by neighboring Kendall County's health department.
The state says it is helping coordinate the transfer of unused nasal spray vaccine to areas where it can be used.
More than 1.2 million doses of vaccine have been shipped to Illinois. County health departments have most of them.
The state also is ordering vaccine for doctors serving patients most at risk for complications.

H1N1 has hit the state earlier in the year than regular seasonal flu usually does. The state health department found in the last week of October that the proportion of people with flu-like symptoms visiting outpatient health clinics is four times higher than usual for this time of year.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated this week that as of Oct. 17, as many as 153,000 people had been hospitalized and as many as 6,200 have died from H1N1.

-- Associated Press, staff