South Carolina Season Flu Update Week 48: 5 Pediatric Deaths

For the weekend ending December 1, the CDC reports 5 deaths during the last week, since the last report.  The first death this year from seasonal flu, specifically H3N2 most likely, was confirmed on  November 26th.  That was 13 days ago.  It was in Barnwell County, which is Region 5, midland section of the State.

October 19th, was the start of the "official flu season in South Carolina, with 3 cases reported:

Three cases of the flu have been reported in South Carolina at the start of the official influenza season, according to the S.C. Department of Environmental Health and Control.
http://tinyurl.com/ces3w9r

By November 28th, they had a confirmed death, reported on the 26th, and the flu was widespread:

Widespread cases of the virus have been reported across the state with the peak of flu season still three months away in the heart of winter.
http://tinyurl.com/aemdhe3

The Regional Medical Center, is restricting visitation by children 12 years old and younger:
December 8th:

Because of the early outbreak of the flu, the Regional Medical Center has restricted visitation throughout the hospital by children 12 and younger.
“The flu season has started early and we have seen a relatively large number of cases in this area already this year,” said RMC Infectious Disease Specialist John Samies, MD. “For the safety of small children and to reduce the spread of flu germs, all children who are 12 and under are not allowed as visitors in the hospital at this time.”
Samies added, “If you are older than 12 and you have cold or flu-like symptoms, please do not visit the hospital until you are better.”
“Newborns do not fight infections well and children are often contagious for several days before they have symptoms. To reduce the possibility of our newborns being exposed to flu, we are asking that young children not visit Her Place until after flu season is over. This policy is consistent with hospitals in areas where there is a high volume of flu cases,” RMC Pediatric Hospitalist Charles Kilgore, MD, said.
“This is something that we are taking very seriously,” Samies said. “The Center for Disease Control has reported that there have been five deaths in South Carolina so far this flu season.
“We hope that individuals understand that this policy is needed to protect our patients.”

http://tinyurl.com/dxygov8

And I just found this bit of information:

South Carolina's health department shows five influenza deaths in that state, two children under age 4, one middle aged adult and two elderly adults.

http://www.examiner.com/article/influenza-threat-highest-across-south

  

Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2012/11/28/3193547/sc-reports-1st-flu-death-cases.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2012/10/19/3123924/three-flu-cases-confirmed-in-sc.html#storylink=mirelated#storylink=cpy