Data from 190 Healthcare Facilities in Nine States from California to Maine
A patient health and safety survey of 190 American hospitals from coast to coast compiled by registered nurses in nine different states finds that a disturbing number of our nation’s healthcare facilities are not prepared for the coming H1N1/swine flu pandemic, according to results released today by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee.
The data reflects a survey conducted over the past four weeks by RNs in hospitals in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Texas. And it comes just a day after release of a report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology predicting nearly 2 million Americans could be hospitalized due to swine flu infections this winter, and as many as 90,000 could die, nearly triple the deaths that occur in a normal flu season.
What the RNs reported are wide gaps in safety gear, infection control training, and post-exposure procedures. Among key findings:
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Afganistan
• A/H1N1 virus spread among soldiers (Link)
Australia
• Aussie swine flu outbreak ‘yet to peak’ (Link)
Brazil
• Brazil confirms eight more deaths of A/H1N1 flu (Link)
Canada
• H1N1 flu claims seventh Albertan (Link)
China
• Hong Kong’s confirmed A/H1N1 flu cases exceed 10,000 (Link)
Dominican Republic
• Dominican Republic confirms 3 new A/H1N1 flu deaths (Link)
India
• 14 more test positive for flu (Link)
• Swine flu kills nine more, India toll 75 (Link)
Indonesia
• Indonesia: child dies from H1N1. 28 positive cases (translated) (Link)
Ireland
• GP Calls For Schools Closure (Link)
Kuwait
• Kuwait reports fourth swine flu death (Link)
Malaysia
• Penang, Malaysia cancels National Day parade
to curb A (H1N1) flu spread (Link)
Romania
• Swine Flu Numbers Up in Romania (Link)
Russia
• Russia reports 211 swine flu cases (Link)
• Russia to begin testing of vaccine from swine flu in early Sept. (Link)
South Africa
• South Africa aims to produce own H1N1 flu vaccine (Link)
Sweden
• Four Swedes With Flu Complications (Link)
United Kingdom
• Doctors warn of swine flu chaos (Link)
United States
• Agency Urges Caution on Estimates of Swine Flu (Link)
• LA: Nietzsche is Dead: Swine flu shouldn’t mean less class for students (Link)
• IN:School Grapples With Confirmed H1N1 Case (Link)
• Swine Flu on campus- Texas Christian University (Link)
• Columbus, GA: Flu bug hits local schools (Link)
• Nebraska Reports Second H1N1 Death (Link)
• Massachusetts: Let the sneaky swine flu law passing commence (Link)
• GC&SU, Milledgeville Ga, 5 suspected cases sent home (Link)
• CO: Pueblo Charter school reports 72 sick kids (Link)
• PA: Carnegie Mellon– 18 students may have swine flu (Link)
• LA: Flu Fears Spread As Students Suffer Symptoms (Link)
• AL: H1N1 cases spreading, numbers not reported by ADPH (Link)
• CA: Swine flu reported at Woodcreek (Link)
• Georgia colleges see swine flu cases rise (Link)
• CA: First death in Mendocino County (Link)
• NM: Clusters of Influenza-like illness expected in schools (Link)
General
• Company Cleared To Test Swine Flu Vaccine Fighting Off Liquidation (Link)
• Swine flu doesn’t change cleaning habits (Link)
Research
• Hong Kong researchers unveil new flu therapy(Link)
• Bird Flu Leaves The Nest (Link)
• Urgent Swine Flu Research At Nottingham, UK (Link)
• H1N1 vaccine trials pushed back (Link)
• Swine flu hits healthy 40-year-olds hardest (Link)
Commentary
• Three Months in Hell (Link)
