The Bureau of Epidemiology is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for consultation at our main number (SunCom 205-4401 or 850/245-4401) PLEASE NOTE: Consultation after 5 p.m. & on weekends is intended for emergencies.

April 22-28, 2001 has been designated National Infant Immunization Week and, again, the Bureau of Immunization is calling upon all health care providers to assist in spreading the immunization message. Since the private medical community administers two out of every three immunizations in Florida, reaching out to these providers is an essential element of our campaign.

In 2000, Florida’s immunization coverage level for two-year-olds rose to an all-time high of 86.6 percent. National Infant Immunization Week offers an excellent opportunity for us to celebrate our successes and to reaffirm our commitment to preventive child health care through immunizations. Please work with us by:

Incorporating the immunization message into an organization-wide presentation, newsletter, or other mode of communication.

Encourage implementation of the Standards of Pediatric Immunization Practices (see attached).

If you have any questions regarding the campaign, please contact Linda Zeigler, Bureau of Immunization, at (850) 245-4342 or SunCom 205-4342.

Florida: Florida is one of 14 states still reporting low levels of influenza activity. Overall, two percent of 14,085 patients seeking care by reporting physicians in the influenza sentinel surveillance met the case definition for ILI during week 7. Two isolates of influenza were reported to our laboratory database this week: influenza B was reported from Duval and Franklin counties. Since October 1, of 2000,118 influenza isolations have been reported to the state health office: 40 influenza A (H1N1) isolates from Broward, Charlotte, Dade, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Leon, Nassau, Orange and Polk counties, one influenza A (H3N2) from Duval county, 16 untyped influenza A isolates from Alachua, Clay, Columbia, Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach and Pinellas counties) and 61 influenza B isolates from Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Clay, Duval, Franklin, Hillsborough, Indian River, Leon, Levy, Orange, Palm Beach, Santa Rosa, Seminole and Volusia counties.

National report: Influenza activity appears to be declining in the United States. For the current season, the overall national percentage of respiratory specimens positive for influenza appears to have peaked at 24% at the end of January (week 4). During the past 3 seasons, the peak percentages of respiratory specimens positive for influenza viruses have ranged from 28% to 33%. For this season, the percentage of patient visits to sentinel physicians for ILI appears to have peaked at 4% in the mid to late January (weeks 3-5). During the past 3 seasons, the peak percentages for such visits ranged between 5% and 6%. During week 7, 7 states (Colorado, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Utah) state and territorial health departments reported widespread and 27 states reported regional activity during week 7. Fifteen percent of the 1,595 specimens tested in WHO and NREVSS laboratories reported 1,459 were positive for influenza. A majority of these isolates (52%) were influenza type B. The highest yield in recent weeks (weeks 5-7) was seen in from patients in the New England region where 34% tested positive for flu.

The 2000-2001 flu vaccine induces reactive antibodies against all 389-virus strains that have been antigenically characterized at CDC this year.

During week 7, the percentage of all deaths due to P&I as reported by the vital statistics offices of 122 U.S. cities was 7.8%, which is below the epidemic threshold of 8.7%

Three percent of patient visits to U.S. sentinel physicians were due to influenza-like illness (ILI). The percentage of patient visits for ILI was within baseline levels (3%) in 8 of 9 surveillance regions. Influenza activity was above baseline levels (4%) in the Pacific Region.