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N.D. reports more than 2,000 flu cases

BISMARCK (AP) - State health officials are reporting 2,475 confirmed cases of the flu in North Dakota, up nearly 900 from last week.

The state's influenza surveillance coordinator, Michelle Feist, says most of the cases likely are swine flu, or the new H1N1 strain.

Feist says the flu season in North Dakota usually peaks in February or March.

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First District Health Unit's Wednesday H1N1 vaccination clinic had a brisk response, with nurses giving 750 doses of H1N1 vaccine within the first four hours. First District had roughly 1,400 doses of vaccine available.

"Everyone understands this is a mass vaccination clinic, and we do this very well because we practice it with the seasonal flu vaccine each year," Penny Hamilton, director of nursing for First District Health Unit, said.

The clinic utilized eight nurses to administer vaccines, screen people for vaccine appropriativeness, and prepare vaccines. People visiting the clinic had to meet certain criteria in order to be vaccinated.

Those vaccinated at Wednesday's clinic included children 6 months through fifth grade, pregnant women, healthy parents and siblings of infants under 6 months old, and children 5 years through 18 years with specific chronic health conditions. The criteria was expanded from the last H1N1 clinic to include healthy children up through fifth grade and children with chronic health conditions up to age 18.

When entering the clinic, people who wanted the vaccine were first checked for illness. If they were healthy, they filled out forms that helped determine whether they should receive the nasal spray or the injectable vaccine.

Children 9 years of age and younger will need a second dose of vaccine after 30 days. They can get their second dose at another H1N1 vaccination clinic, and can check the Web site (www.fdhu.org) for information about upcoming clinics.

Hamilton said that at this time, First District doesn't know when the next H1N1 vaccination clinic will be held, but one will be scheduled when more vaccine arrives. For future H1N1 vaccination clinics, criteria will include the same groups and may be expanded to include more people in different risk categories.