http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-sci-swine-flu13-2009nov13,0,1558045.story
At least 22 million Americans have contracted pandemic H1N1 influenza since the outbreak began in April and 3,900 have died, including about 540 children, according to new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That is about three times the number of deaths that the agency has been reporting, but the previous figures were based on laboratory-confirmed cases, while the new number reflects agency epidemiologists' best estimate of the total.
The estimate is compiled in the same manner that is used for estimating deaths from seasonal flu, and gives a better comparison to those numbers. In a typical flu season, about 35,000 Americans die from influenza and related causes. The estimates are compiled from both the number of laboratory-confirmed cases and from cases that may be listed on death certificates as pneumonia, organ failure or other infections, but which are actually caused ultimately by flu.
At least 22 million Americans have contracted pandemic H1N1 influenza since the outbreak began in April and 3,900 have died, including about 540 children, according to new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That is about three times the number of deaths that the agency has been reporting, but the previous figures were based on laboratory-confirmed cases, while the new number reflects agency epidemiologists' best estimate of the total.
The estimate is compiled in the same manner that is used for estimating deaths from seasonal flu, and gives a better comparison to those numbers. In a typical flu season, about 35,000 Americans die from influenza and related causes. The estimates are compiled from both the number of laboratory-confirmed cases and from cases that may be listed on death certificates as pneumonia, organ failure or other infections, but which are actually caused ultimately by flu.
