Salt Lake Valley Health Department
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Bureau of Epidemiology
Bureau of Epidemiology
610 South 200 East #218
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
385-468-4222
Pandemic Influenza Fact Sheet
What is pandemic influenza?
A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time.
Can health officials predict an influenza pandemic?
It is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur or how severe it will be. Wherever and whenever a pandemic starts, everyone around the world is at risk. Countries might, through measures such as border closures and travel restrictions, delay arrival of the virus, but cannot stop it.
A pandemic may come and go in waves, each of which can last for six to eight weeks.
How would a pandemic event change everyday life?
An especially severe influenza pandemic could lead to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts can range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.
A substantial percentage of the world's population will require some form of medical care. Health care facilities can be overwhelmed, creating a shortage of hospital staff, beds, ventilators and other supplies. Surge capacity at non-traditional sites such as schools may need to be created to cope with demand.
Is there a vaccine for pandemic influenza?
The need for vaccine is likely to outstrip supply and the supply of antiviral drugs is also likely to be inadequate early in a pandemic. Difficult decisions will need to be made regarding who gets antiviral drugs and vaccines.
How are death rates calculated?
Death rates are determined by four factors: the number of people who become infected, the virulence of the virus, the underlying characteristics and vulnerability of affected populations and the availability and effectiveness of preventive measures.
Pandemic Death Toll Since 1900 |
|---|
| 1918-1919 |
| U.S. 675,000 + |
| Worldwide 50,000,000 |
| 1957-1958 |
| U.S. 70,000 + |
| Worldwide 1-2,000,000 |
| 1968-1969 |
| U.S. 34,000 + |
| Worldwide 700,000 + |
Health professionals are concerned that the continued spread of a highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus across eastern Asia and other countries represents a significant threat to human health. The H5N1 virus has raised concerns about a potential human pandemic because:
- It is especially virulent,
- It is being spread by migratory birds,
- It can be transmitted from birds to mammals and in some limited circumstances to humans, and
- Like other influenza viruses, it continues to evolve.
What is the current status of H5N1?
Since 2003, a growing number of human H5N1 cases have been reported in Asia, Europe, and Africa. More than half of the people infected with the H5N1 virus have died. Most of these cases are all believed to have been caused by exposure to infected poultry. There has been no sustained human-to-human transmission of the disease, but the concern is that H5N1 will evolve into a virus capable of human-to-human transmission.