By Gina Morton
SUNBURY — A decrease in swine flu cases has allowed two Valley hospitals to lift restrictions on visitors, and a third medical facility plans to do so by month’s end.
The H1N1 virus peaked in late October and early November and began to decline in December, according to Dr. Lisa Esolen, director of Infection Control at Geisinger Health System, in Danville.
“That’s the way flu viruses operate. They come in waves,” she said. “... The most predictable thing to say it it’s unpredictable. Every time we say something about it, we guess wrong.”
Swine flu peaked early in the flu season, Esolen said. Health officials are unsure whether new cases will increase in the off season.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 47 million people were infected with swine flu between April 2009 and Nov. 14, 2009 — about 6 million new cases per month. In the four months since, about 12 million — about 3 million cases per month. CDC also estimates that about 12,000 people in the United States died from swine flu between April 2009 and February 13, 2010.
Evangelical Community Hospital, in Lewisburg, and Geisinger in Danville have lifted visiting restrictions because of the decrease in Valley cases. Sunbury Community Hospital plans to end its restrictions by the end of March.
Almost 11,000 Pennsylvania cases have been confirmed in the past year. There are 132 probable cases and 78 Pennsylvanians died from H1N1.
Northumberland County to date had 43 confirmed cases, Snyder County had 42, Union County 24 and Montour County, 14. Snyder County had three probable cases and Union County had one.
Vaccinations were key in the decline in cases, said Paula Roseth, a registered nurse and infection control nurse at Evangelical.
“High-risk groups were prioritized and vaccine was made available,” she said. “Vaccination clinics were readily available. Schools and colleges-universities provided clinics on site to provide vaccines.”
The awareness of the public to stay home when ill with flu-like symptoms and the practice of basic infection control measures — covering a cough or sneeze and frequent hand-washing — also aided in the decline.
“Millions got immunized, so consequently a third wave likely wouldn’t be as severe,” said Stacy Kriedeman, of the state Department of Health.
Continue good disease-prevention techniques, health officials advise.
Vaccinations are still available and Kriedeman suggests those who have not been immunized receive one.
“We do anticipate it will come back,” she said. “We’re starting to see indications of that. Not here in the state, but elsewhere in the country.”
Looking back over the past year, the health officials agreed that Pennsylvania prepared for the worst and attempted to prevent the spread of the strain.
“You plan for the worst and hope for the best,” Kriedeman said. “We spent years preparing as much as possible for a pandemic and planning did make a difference.”
