ATLANTA, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Long-term care facilities, or nursing homes should continue implementing infection control practices to prevent the spread of H1N1, U.S. health officials say.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released Thursday says during last October and November, the CDC received reports of several H1N1 flu outbreaks among residents and employees in long-term care facilities in Colorado, Maine and New York.
"These outbreaks show that, despite the lower risk of infection with H1N1 flu -- compared with seasonal flu -- among people age 65 and older H1N1 flu outbreaks can still occur in long-term care facilities among the elderly," the report said.
About 90 percent of the 36,000 people who die each year of seasonal flu are age 65 and older, but the estimated 16,000 who died of H1N1 were mostly age 50 and under and is considered a "young people's disease."
Residents of long-term care facilities should receive seasonal influenza vaccination and also should be vaccinated against H1N1, federal health officials advise.
