The pandemic H1N1 strain of influenza continues to cause more trouble for pregnant women and children than typical flu, but its overall impact remains moderate, according to data released Tuesday by Oregon Public Health's Emerging Infections Program.
In Oregon, 1,309 people have been hospitalized from the flu since Sept. 1, and 66 people have died. Among the noteworthy trends:
* Thirty-three pregnant women were hospitalized with the flu, substantially more than the average of less than one hospitalization among pregnant woman during the last five years. The rate of hospitalization among pregnant women aged 15 to 44 years is 4.4 times the rate of hospitalization among non-pregnant women in that age group.
* Children with no underlying health problems who caught the flu were more likely than adults to require hospital care; 57 percent of hospitalized children had a pre-existing condition such as asthma, compared with 82 percent of hospitalized adults.
* Four children in Oregon died of flu-related illness since Sept. 1, and all had a neurological developmental disorder such as cerebral palsy.
* Among adult flu death cases, the median age in Oregon is 51. Men accounted for 57 percent of deaths.
Nationwide, officals say flu-related doctor visits and hospitalizations are declining. Deaths attributed to flu are below what is expected for this time of year. Pandemic H1N1 continues to account for nearly all of the laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Oregon officials have posted more information at www.flu.oregon.gov.