Mexico: What Did We Know And When?

The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report is normally great story fodder for science geeks like us, but this week, it may get a boost in readership because provides a helpful tick-tock on the detection and response to the swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus as it evolved in Mexico.

While the report illustrates how little we still know about how the virus evolved, it aims to put everyone on the same page. The report notes the importance of continuing to investigate transmission, goeographic distribution, and the clinical spectrum of the disease.

"The epidemiologic characterisitics of this outbreak underscore the importance of monitoring the effectiveness of community mitigation efforts, nonpharmaceutical interventions, and clinical management practices in anticipation of a possible pandemic," the report says.

Some highlights:

 

— The first few suspicious outbreaks of influenza in several areas of the country were noted in mid-March.

— The Pan American Health Organization learned of the outbreaks in Veracruz on April 12.

— Mexico City schools were ordered closed on April 24, everwhere else in the country by April 27.

— As of April 30, 97 cases were confirmed by the laboratory, the first of the patients reported onset of illness March 17, the most recent on April 26.

— Of the 97 cases confirmed via laboratory, Mexican officials are still collecting information on 73 of them.

— Only 16 of these patients have complete clinical records so far, and only 3 of them had "underlying health conditions" not defined in the report.