NEW YORK, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Community transmission of the A/H1N1 virus appears to be declining in New York City, as emergency departments report lower numbers of visits due to influenza-like illness, the New York Health Department reported Friday.
As expected, however, hospitalizations and fatalities continue to occur. As of Friday, the New York Health Department had recorded 567 hospitalizations and 16 deaths. The latest death occurred in a person aged 40-49.
Emergency-department visits for flu-like illness surged during May, reaching a peak on May 25, but have since declined markedly. Hospital admissions for A/H1N1 influenza have also declined -- after peaking on May 27.
"The Health Department monitors influenza-like illness every day in New York City," said Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner. "While every hospitalization is concerning and every death is a tragedy, our surveillance data indicate that the number of people newly infected is declining."
Of the 16 New York City deaths attributed to A/H1N1 flu, 14 have occurred in people under 65, and 12 of the decedents have had an established underlying risk factor for developing severe influenza or complications. All four of the others have been obese, a condition that is not a known risk factor for severe illness but which could potentially increase the risk of complications from flu. Further study is needed to evaluate this finding.
Of the 567 hospitalizations, 80 percent of the patients had at least one known risk factor for severe illness or complications due to influenza.
While most of the influenza now circulating in New York City isH1N1, seasonal flu is still present at low levels. The Health Department's Public Health Laboratory identified seasonal flu in 10 percent of all flu samples tested during this outbreak.
Earlier this week, the Health Department released preliminary findings from a household survey suggesting that 6.9 percent of New Yorkers may have experienced flu-like illness between May 1 and May 20.
