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According to Dr. Anne Schuchat, M.D., Interim Deputy Director for Science and Public Health Program, during yesterday’s news conference: the CDC has shipped PCR testing kits to nearly every nation in the world.
These kits provide the custom reagents needed by laboratories to test for the A/H1N1 virus.
How many countries are currently up and running with these test kits is another matter, however.
Even here in the US there are backlogged, untested samples going back to April. Although all US States received test kits days ago, as of yesterday, only 11 were reporting their own testing results for the virus.
At some point – soon – trying to count individual cases will become impractical.
Here in the United States, the number of confirmed and probable cases has been described as `the tip of the iceberg’ by the CDC.
No doubt, the same thing could be said about the global numbers coming from the WHO.
Influenza A(H1N1) - update 26
12 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 12 May 2009, 30 countries have officially reported 5251 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.
Mexico has reported 2059 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 56 deaths. The United States has reported 2600 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths. Canada has reported 330 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Argentina (1), Australia (1), Austria (1), Brazil (8), China (2, comprising 1 in China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and 1 in mainland China), Colombia (3), Denmark (1), El Salvador (4), France (13), Germany (12), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (9), Japan (4), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (7), Norway (2), Panama (16), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (95), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (55).
WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the influenza A(H1N1) virus.
Individuals who are ill should delay travel plans and returning travelers who fall ill should seek appropriate medical care. These recommendations are prudent measures which can limit the spread of many communicable diseases, including influenza.
Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO web site on a regular basis.
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