Influenza viruses continue to be isolated by laboratories in
all
areas of the United States, and one or more state health
departments
in each region now indicate influenza activitiy has increased
beyond
sporadic levels.
Isolates have been reported from 36 states, including those
shown
earlier (1) and Maryland, New Mexico, and Vermont, which have now
reported their first isolates of the season. The number of
influenza
isolates obtained by the reporting laboratories has increased since
January 1 and now totals 276 (Figure 1). Most of the virus
isolates
have been identified as type A(H3N2) related to the Bangkok/79
component of the current vaccine. Seven H1N1 isolates have been
identified from sporadic cases in California, Illinois (4 cases),
Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and three influenza type B isolates have
been identified from sporadic cases in Ohio, Nebraska, and Texas.
An excess in the ratio of deaths from pneumonia and influenza
(P&I) to total deaths was reported from 121 cities for the fourth
consecutive week (Figure 1). The ratio of P&I deaths for the week
ending February 5, 1983, was 5.0 and the expected ratio was 4.1.
Three states (Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Texas) reported widespread
influenza activity for that same week.
Reported by Respective State Epidemiologists and Laboratory
Directors;
Consolidated Surveillance Activity, Epidemiology Program Office,
Influenza Br, Div of Viral Diseases, Center for Infectious
Diseases,
CDC.
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