J Korean Med Sci.  2010 Jul;25(7):1109-1112. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.7.1109.

The Spread of Pandemic H1N1 2009 by Age and Region and the Comparison among Monitoring Tools

• Kim JH
• Yoo HS
• Lee JS
• Lee EG
• Park HK
• Sung YH
• Kim S
• Kim HS
• Shin SY
• Lee JK

• KMID: 1792969
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.7.1109

Abstract

This report describes the pattern of the spread of the pandemic H1N1 2009 and compares 3 monitoring tools until the 57th week or January 31, 2010. The 1st week was from December 28th, 2008 to January 3rd, 2009. A total of 740,835 patients were reported to be infected with pandemic H1N1 2009 and 225 patients were reported to have died of pandemic H1N1 2009. The number of patients aged from 7 to 12 was the largest (183,363 patients in total) but the virus spread and then was suppressed most quickly among the children between 13 and 18. The region-determinant incidence of patients showed diverse patterns according to regions. The peak of the ILI per thousand was at the 45th week, the number of antiviral prescriptions reached its peak at the 44th week, and the peak based on reported patients was the 46th week. As of February 3 2010, the outbreak passed through the peak and has gradually subsided. Now it is time for the government and the academic world to review this outbreak, efficacy of vaccination, and further preparation and response for the next pandemic.

Keyword

Influenza, Human; Disease Outbreaks; Age Distribution; Transmission; Incidence; Environmental Monitoring

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Distribution
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use
Child
Child, Preschool
*Disease Outbreaks
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/*pathogenicity
Influenza Vaccines/therapeutic use
Influenza, Human/drug therapy/*epidemiology/mortality
Korea/epidemiology
Middle Aged
Sentinel Surveillance
Young Adult

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Comparison among monitoring tools. (A) Trend of the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) cases and the fatal cases. (B) The number of prescription of antivirals and ILI. The proportion of patients who visited sentinel physicians for ILI is published in the per thousand.

• 

  Fig. 2 Trends of the outbreak according to age and region. (A) The number of patients by age. (B) Incidence by age. (C) Incidence by regions in the metropolitan cities. (D) Incidence by regions in the provinces.

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