The pandemic alert level remains at Phase 5 in the CNMI as the Department of Public Health continues to its routine testing to identify flu illnesses.

As of yesterday afternoon, the DPH has found no traces of the H1N1 influenza virus, even as the number of areas in the United States affected by the virus keeps going up.

DPH said it is increasing its surveillance operations because this is a “rapidly evolving” situation and that current guidance and other content may contain variations in how this new H1N1 flu virus is referred to.

Since the CNMI Pandemic Alert Committee and the DPH Emergency Operations Center were activated, there have been two cases of flu reported but Public Health analyst Roxanne Diaz explained that these were just the results of routine flu testing.

The tests have already been sent to the U.S. mainland for further evaluation.

Formerly known as the swine flu, this new illness is now referred to as H1N1 flu.

DPH said its six sentinel sites-CHC clinics, Marianas Medical Center, Medical Associates of the Pacific, Tinian Health Center, and Rota Health Center-have not reported any suspicious 2009 H1N1 flu cases.

“All flu tests in the CNMI are sent for further laboratory testing and confirmation in San Antonio, Texas,” the DPH said.

In the past six weeks, hundreds worldwide have been infected by the new H1N1 flu.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths: Austria (1), Canada (85), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), France (2), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (3),

Italy (1), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (4), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (40), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (15). Mexico has reported 506 confirmed human cases of infection, including 19 deaths.

As of May 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 226 confirmed human cases of H1N1 in the United States.

Human infections with this new virus have been confirmed in 30 states at this time, with one death.

The list of states with the numbers of people who are confirmed cases is updated daily at 11am at www.cdc.gov/swineflu.

DPH said the Commonwealth Health Center has received adequate supplies of medication to treat individuals who have severe flu.

It said that because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, so the illness may be more severe and widespread as a result.

DPH explained that there is no vaccine available for the H1N1 flu virus at this time.

“The H1N1 flu virus is not transmitted by food. You cannot get this H1N1 flu from eating pork and pork products,” DPH further explained.

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=85 - edit ] South America

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:H1N1_South_America_Map.svg">

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Outbreak evolution in South America:
     Confirmed cases     Unconfirmed or suspected cases

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=86 - edit ] Argentina

According to an Epidemic Alert order issued by the Ministry of Health, Airlines have been required to report passengers with influenza symptoms arriving from Mexico and United States. Passengers from these countries must fill out a form to be located should they experience any symptoms. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-320 - [321]} In addition, the government has also stepped up safety checks, and thermal scanners are being used on airports to detect passengers with fever and other influenza symptoms. As of April 28, the Government has suspended all flights originated from Mexico until May 4 as a precautionary measure. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-321 - [322]}

On May 7, Health Authorities confirmed the first case, a tourist that had recently returned from Mexico. 55 other suspected cases continue to be studied under isolation. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-322 - [323]}

On May 12, Health Authorities confirmed the second case, a tourist from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Madryn - Puerto Madryn who had recently returned from Mexico. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-323 - [324]}

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=87 - edit ] Brazil

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Outbreak evolution in Brazil:
     Confirmed cases     Unconfirmed or suspected cases

Two people who had arrived in Brazil from Mexico with symptoms of an undefined illness were hospitalized in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo - São Paulo on April 25. It was initially suspected that they were suffering from the swine flu virus. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-324 - [325]} The Brazilian Ministry of Health later issued a press release stating that while the exact cause of the two patients illnesses remained unknown, they "did not meet the definition of suspected cases of swine influenza because they did not have signs and symptoms consistent with the disease: fever over 39 °C, accompanied by coughing and/or a headache, muscle and joint http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain - pain ." ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-325 - [326]}

The press release also stated that airports would monitor travelers arriving from affected areas, under the direction of the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Air crews are also being trained on signs and symptoms of swine influenza so that passengers displaying symptoms may receive guidance from ANVISA upon arrival.

On April 27, a person who had arrived in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador,_Bahia - Salvador, Bahia , from the United States was hospitalized. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-326 - [327]}

On May 7, the first four cases of swine flu were confirmed, two of them in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_state - São Paulo state , one of them in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro_state - Rio de Janeiro state and one in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_Gerais - Minas Gerais . Three of the infected patients were recently in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico - Mexico and the other was recently in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA - USA . ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-327 - [328]}

On May 8, another case of swine flu was confirmed, this time in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Catarina_state - Santa Catarina state . The infected patient was a girl of seven years old, she was recently in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA - USA . The country has another 30 suspected cases. That same day, the sixth case of swine flu was confirmed in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil - Brazil . This case was from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro_state - Rio de Janeiro state . This was the first confirmed case of transmission inside the country. However, the infected person only had contact with an infected patient and is now under observation and being cured. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-328 - [329]} On May 9, besides the confirmed cases, the health ministry confirmed the existence of 30 suspected cases in the country: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_%28state%29 - São Paulo (12), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paran%C3%A1 - Paraná (4), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_Gerais - Minas Gerais (4), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Federal_District - Federal District (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goi%C3%A1s - Goiás (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Catarina - Santa Catarina (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mato_Grosso_do_Sul - Mato Grosso do Sul (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernambuco - Pernambuco (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cear%C3%A1 - Ceará (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rond%C3%B4nia - Rondônia (1) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro_%28state%29 - Rio de Janeiro (1). The two new cases are each at Rio Grande do Sul and Rio de Janeiro. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-329 - [330]}

On May 10, the health ministry informed that the suspected cases in Brazil fell to 18. They are located in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_%28state%29 - São Paulo (6), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro_%28state%29 - Rio de Janeiro (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_Gerais - Minas Gerais (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paran%C3%A1 - Paraná (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Federal_District - Federal District (3), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Catarina - Santa Catarina (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernambuco - Pernambuco (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cear%C3%A1 - Ceará (1) e http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rond%C3%B4nia - Rondônia (1). ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-330 - [331]} Today in Brazil, the flight with the friends of the first infected man in Rio arrived, probably with this flight more suspected in Rio de Janeiro will confirmed. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-331 - [332]}

On May 10, in the night, the minister of health confirmed two more cases of swine flu, another case in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro , this patient catch the flu of the others two patients of the Rio. And the first in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_do_Sul - Rio Grande do Sul , this patient was in several European countries ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany - Germany , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic - Czech Republic , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary - Hungary , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria - Austria , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy - Italy and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain - Spain ), before returning to Brazil. As outlined the Ministry of Health, the patient of Rio Grande do Sul is well and showed the first symptoms, light, on May 3 in Italy. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-332 - [333]} Now the country has 8 confirmed cases and 22 suspected cases. The suspected cases are in São Paulo (10), Rio de Janeiro (2), Paraná (1), Distrito Federal (3), Alagoas (1), Pernambuco (3), Ceará (1) e Rondônia (1). ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-333 - [334]}

On May 11, the Minister of Health confirmed the existence of 34 suspected cases in Brasil. They are in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo - São Paulo (14), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distrito_Federal - Distrito Federal (4), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro (4), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alagoas - Alagoas (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_Gerais - Minas Gerais (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paran%C3%A1 - Paraná (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernambuco - Pernambuco (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cear%C3%A1 - Ceará (1) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rond%C3%B4nia - Rondônia (1). Today confirmed too that the woman with the swine flu in Rio is with pneumonia, but her state is stable. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-334 - [335]}

On May 13, the Minister of Health confirmed the existence of 37 suspected cases in Brasil. They are in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo - São Paulo (14), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distrito_Federal - Distrito Federal (4), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro (3), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alagoas - Alagoas (2), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_Gerais - Minas Gerais (7), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernambuco - Pernambuco (3), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cear%C3%A1 - Ceará (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par%C3%A1 - Pará (1), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_do_Sul - Rio Grande do Sul (1) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rond%C3%B4nia - Rondônia (1). ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-335 - [336]}

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=88 - edit ] Chile

On April 27, the Assistant Secretary of Health Jeanette Vega, confirmed that there are eight suspected cases of swine influenza in the country, which are being examined at the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_del_T%C3%B3rax - Hospital del Tórax in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago,_Chile - Santiago . Five other cases have been dismissed by the authorities. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-336 - [337]}

On April 28 the Health Ministry announced 26 cases under investigation: 16 in Santiago; 2 in Atacama; 2 in Valparaíso; 4 in O´Higgins Region; 1 in Biobío and 1 in Araucanía. 16 other cases have been dismissed. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-337 - [338]}

On May 1, the Health Ministry announced that it continued to investigate 4 suspected cases: 2 in Santiago, 1 in Valparaíso and 1 in Araucanía. To date, 80 suspected cases have been examined by the Health Ministry; 76 of those have been dismissed. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-338 - [339]} Another suspected case was identified on May 2, bringing the number of cases under investigation to 5. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-339 - [340]}

On May 10, the Health Ministry announced that 116 cases have been dismissed, and there are no cases pending test results. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-340 - [341]}

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=89 - edit ] Colombia

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Outbreak evolution in Colombia:
     Confirmed cases     Unconfirmed or suspected cases

The Minister of Social Protection, Diego Palacio Betancourt, announced on April 26, 2009, that 12 suspect cases had been detected, 9 in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogot%C3%A1 - Bogotá and 3 on the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Region_of_Colombia - Caribbean coast . Samples of the virus have been sent to the USA for comparisons and analysis. Results of the testing were expected within few days. On April 27, the Government declared a "national disaster" state ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-caracoltv-disaster-341 - [342]} in order to face the emergency, which allowed health authorities to have a special budget to do so. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-colreports-emergency-342 - [343]} As of April 28, most of the suspect cases were excluded, with only four remaining: three Mexican teachers in Bogotá, and one person in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena_de_Indias - Cartagena . ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-elespectador-04-343 - [344]} Another 38 suspect cases were under observation. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-caracoltv-42-344 - [345]} On April 29, the suspect cases raised to 49, with 10 of them "highly" suspect. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-caracolradio-49-345 - [346]} The government purchased 400,000 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseltamivir - oseltamivir doses, which will be distributed through the Social Protection ministry to the affected if there are confirmed cases. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-caracoltv-tamiflu-346 - [347]}

On May 3, 2009, Minister Palacio confirmed the first case of A(H1N1) in Colombia, ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-elespectador-04-343 - [344]} in a 42-year-old person from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zipaquir%C3%A1 - Zipaquirá , who recently travelled to Mexico. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-caracolradio-conf-347 - [348]} According to Palacio, only one out of 18 tests sent to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta - Atlanta was positive. The patient was isolated and put under medical treatment. On the same day, Palacio stated there were 108 suspect cases in the country. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-caracolradio-conf-347 - [348]}

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=90 - edit ] Ecuador

Health officials are carrying out checks on people with flu symptoms entering the country from sea or air. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-bbc1-49 - [50]} On April 29, Ecuador closed its borders to Mexican citizens and foreigners of other nationalities arriving from Mexico for a period of 30 days. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-348 - [349]} On May 15, Health officials confirmed the first case of AH1N1 flu in Ecuador ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-349 - [350]} .

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=91 - edit ] Peru

The Governor of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callao - Callao , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Kouri - Alex Kouri , ordered that all passengers from any infected country, mainly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico - Mexico , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada - Canada and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_America - USA , must be checked before their arrival on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru - Peruvian territory. Also, the Peruvian government must be warned of any case or symptom of fever. This step is in order to prevent any infections, since the main port and airport of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru - Peru are located in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callao - Callao . Also, the government has prepared a special area at the Hospital "Daniel Alcides Carrión" to treat cases of this disease. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-precauciones1-350 - [351]}

The first suspicious case has been detected in the morning of April 27, 2009. It was a Peruvian woman who returned from Mexico. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-351 - [352]}

In Peru 5 people were considered suspects with the virus, but as of April 28 have been confirmed to be healthy and not carrying the H1N1 virus. The government has stated that the country is clean, but efforts are being made to examine slaughterhouses and they are screening incoming passengers from problem areas. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-352 - [353]}

On April 29, Peru's Health Minister Oscar Ugarte confirmed one case of swine flu. On April 30, he said the case is not entirely confirmed. Having recently visited Mexico, the patient was flying in a Copa Airlines airplane from Panama to Buenos Aires on April 28, but the flight was diverted to Lima due to her illness. The crew only notified of the suspicion of swine flu only after the passenger had checked in the airport. Three more suspected cases were being investigated. Ugarte also announced the suspension of all commercial flights from Mexico to Peru. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-precauciones1-350 - [351]} On May 14, Ugarte confirmed a case of swine flu from a woman who returned from New York.

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country&action=edit&section=92 - edit ] Venezuela

Controls have been raised at airports to prevent contagion from spreading. Travellers from the United States and Mexico with flu symptoms are being isolated until they are given the all clear. Pig farms in the country are being "closely inspected" and stockpiles of medicines built up. ^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak_by_country#cite_note-bbc1-49 - [50]}

• Press Briefing, 12:00 PM ET
  • http://www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/t090518.htm - Transcript
  • http://www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/mp3/H1N1-05-18-09.mp3 - Audio MP3