Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
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Influenza Information

Nebraska is currently NO ACTIVITY.

Flu questions?  Call the DHHS Flu Information Hotline at:
888-541-5668   OR   402-471-2579.
Hours: 8-5 CST, Monday - Friday

 

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Flu Map - Click to view a text version.

Flu Terms Defined

  • Seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity, and a vaccine is available.
  • Novel H1N1 flu is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in the U.S. in April 2009, and has spread to many countries around the world.
  • Pandemic flu is virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person.

  • Bird flu is commonly used to refer to Avian flu (see below). Bird flu viruses infect birds, including chickens, other poultry and wild birds such as ducks.

    • Avian flu (AI) is caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally among wild birds. Low pathogenic AI is common in birds and causes few problems. Highly pathogenic H5N1 is deadly to domestic fowl, can be transmitted from birds to humans, and is deadly to humans. There is virtually no human immunity and human vaccine availability is very limited.

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Flu Levels Defined

State health departments report the estimated level of spread of influenza activity in their states each week through the State and Territorial Epidemiologists Reports. States report influenza activity as no activity, sporadic, local, regional, or widespread. These levels are defined as follows:

  • No Activity: No laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza and no reported increase in the number of cases of ILI.

  • Sporadic: Small numbers of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases or a single laboratoryconfirmed influenza outbreak has been reported, but there is no increase in cases of ILI.

  • Local: Outbreaks of influenza or increases in ILI cases and recent laboratory-confirmed influenza in a single region of the state.

  • Regional: Outbreaks of influenza or increases in ILI and recent laboratory confirmed influenza in at least 2 but less than half the regions of the state.

  • Widespread: Outbreaks of influenza or increases in ILI cases and recent laboratoryconfirmed influenza in at least half the regions of the state.

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