2018-2019
Influenza Surveillance Report
Week 42
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
About our flu activity reporting
MSDH relies upon selected sentinel health practitioners across the state to report the percentage of total patient
visits consistent with an influenza-like illness (ILI: fever of 100°F or higher AND cough and/or sore throat). Also,
providers are supplied with specimen collection kits. Samples are submitted to the Mississippi Public Health
Laboratory for influenza PCR testing. Reports are used to estimate the state’s ILI rate and the magnitude of the
state’s influenza activity. Reports represent only the distribution of flu in the state, not an actual count of all flu
cases statewide. Information is provisional only and may change depending on additional reporting from
sentinel providers.
Content
State ILI Surveillance
Influenza Outbreaks
Flu Testing Reports
National and Mississippi Pediatric Mortality Surveillance
National ILI Surveillance
Appendix
• Figure 1 (Statewide ILI Data, Current Season compared to Previous Season)
• Figure 2 (Percentage of ILI Cases by Age Group, Mississippi)
• Figure 3 (Mississippi ILI Rates, 2018-2019 and Previous Seasons)
• Figure 4 (State ILI Rates 2014-2018 (YTD))
• Figure 5 (BioSense ILI Reports, Current Season compared to Previous Season)
• Figure 6 (Comparison of Nationwide and Region 4 ILI Rates to Mississippi ILI
Rates)
• Figure 7 (CDC FluView Weekly Influenza Activity Map)
2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
State ILI Surveillance
During week 42
(10/14/18-
10/20/18), the
overall state ILI
rate (2.3%) was
comparable to
the previous
week (2.0%)
and to this time
last year (2.2%).
| Figure 1
Total number of patients treated by sentinel providers in the last three weeks.| Table 1
2018-2019 Influenza Season
Number of reports
Week
CDC Week received from Total patients ILI symptoms ILI Rate (%)
Ending
Sentinel Providers
42 Oct. 20 150 15716 358 2.3
41 Oct. 13 149 16712 340 2.0
40 Oct. 6 128 17084 336 2.0
During week 42, one district (5) had an increase in ILI activity, MSDH District ILI Rates (%)
2018-2019
while two districts (1 and 3) had a decrease. The remaining
District Week 41 Week 42
six districts (2, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9) remained about the same.
State 2.0 2.3
Information is provisional only and may change depending on I 1.9 0.4
additional reporting from sentinel providers. | Table 2 II 2.5 2.4
III 2.1 1.3
IV 2.2 2.2
V 1.6 2.4
VI 2.1 1.9
VII 2.3 2.7
VIII 1.6 2.0
IX 2.3 2.5
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Overall, the
percentage of
reported ILI
cases has been
highest among
those in the 0-4
and 5-24 years
of age groups.
This trend
continued into
week 42. |
Figure 2
The 2018-19 state ILI rate was comparable to the national and Region 4 baselines, but was below the
state baseline, for week 42. | Figure 3
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Mississippi ILI Rates 2014-2018 | Figure 4
Syndromic ILI Surveillance
The Mississippi State Department of Health also collects influenza syndromic surveillance data through the CDC
BioSense Platform. This data is comprised of chief complaints and diagnosis codes and is submitted electronically
by participating hospitals and clinics throughout the state in near real-time. The BioSense data is an additional tool
to monitor influenza activity in Mississippi.
The number
of ILI
reports
received
through
BioSense
for week 42
was
comparable to the reports received this time last year. | Figure 5
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Influenza Outbreaks
Outbreaks are reportable in Mississippi as a Class 1A event and must be reported by telephone within 24 hours of
first knowledge or suspicion to the Mississippi State Department of Health. For more information on reportable
diseases and conditions, please refer to the MSDH List of Reportable Diseases and Conditions.
No influenza outbreaks were reported to MSDH during week 42 (week ending October 20th).
For additional information on infection control measures in health care facilities and managing influenza
outbreaks in long-term care facilities, please refer to the CDC’s webpages:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/index.htm and
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/ltc-facility-guidance.htm, respectively.
Flu Testing Reports
During week 42 (week ending October 20th), there were no laboratory confirmed influenza cases
identified by MSDH Public Health Laboratory.
National and Mississippi Pediatric Mortality Surveillance
Nationally, no influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to CDC during week 42. One
influenza-associated pediatric death has been reported to CDC for the 2018-2019 season.
Mississippi has had no influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported during this influenza season.
For additional information on influenza-associated pediatric deaths, please refer to the CDC’s FluView.
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
National ILI Surveillance
During week 42, the Mississippi (2.3%), national (1.5%) and Region 4 (1.4%) ILI rates remained about
the same as the previous week and were below their respective baselines. | Figure 6
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
During week 42, influenza activity remained low in the United States.1 | Figure 7
1
For up-to-date information on flu activity nationwide, please refer to the CDC’s website:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivitysurv.htm.
Mississippi reported “No Activity” for the influenza activity during week 42. | Table 3
Level of Flu Definition
Activity
No Activity Overall clinical activity remains low and there are no lab confirmed cases.
Sporadic Isolated cases of lab confirmed influenza in the state; ILI activity is not increased OR A lab-
confirmed outbreak in a single institution in the state; ILI activity is not increased.
Local Increased ILI within a single region AND recent (within the past 3 weeks) laboratory evidence of
influenza in that region. ILI activity in other regions is not increased OR two of more
institutional outbreaks (ILI or lab confirmed) within a single region AND recent (within the past
3 weeks) lab confirmed influenza in that region. Other regions do not have increased ILI and
virus activity is no greater than sporadic in those regions
Regional Increased ILI in at least 2 regions but fewer than half of the regions AND recent (within the past
3 weeks) lab confirmed influenza in the affected regions OR Institutional outbreaks (ILI or lab
confirmed) in at least 2 regions but fewer than half of the regions AND recent lab confirmed
influenza in the affected regions.
Widespread Increased ILI and/or institutional outbreaks (ILI or lab confirmed) in at least half of the regions
AND recent (within the past 3 weeks) lab confirmed influenza in the state.
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Additional influenza information:
Centers for Disease Control and http://cdc.gov/flu/
Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Prevention FluView
MSDH Flu and Pneumonia http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/14,0,199.html
World Health Organization FluNet http://www.who.int/influenza/gisrs_laboratory/flunet/en/
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Appendix
Figure 1
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Figure 2
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Figure 3
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Figure 4
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Figure 5
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Figure 6
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2018 – 2019 Influenza Season | Week 42 Influenza Surveillance Report| Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2018
Figure 7
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