The second wave of the H1N1 influenza pandemic appeared to peak in mid October, the Madison County Board of Health was told Wednesday night, but a third wave could occur in the winter.
While the number of infections has steadily declined since October, the disease still is widespread in Kentucky and hospitalization rates remain high, compared to the rate for seasonal flu, said Jim Rousey, health department director.
Nationwide, 22 million cases of H1N1 flu have been reported, with 100,000 patients hospitalized and about 4,000 deaths attributed to the virus. Secondary bacterial infections were associated with many of the deaths, Rousey said.
If H1N1 infections follow the pattern of past pandemics, including the 1918-19 Spanish flu, then Kentucky and the nation can expect a third, but less numerous, surge of infections to begin about 12 weeks after the second wave peaked, Rousey said.
The first, and mildest, wave of infections peaked in the spring.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Rousey said.
Because the pandemic probably has not run its course, its still important for people, especially for those in the more vulnerable segments of the population, to be vaccinated, he said.
Health officials fear that the declining number of infections in November will lead people to believe the danger has passed, and they will neglect getting a vaccine.
A little more than a third of the county’s kindergarten through high school students have been vaccinated, Rousey said. Most received vaccinations from in-school clinics, but others came to the health department’s walk-in clinics.
Vaccinated children 9 and under will receive a booster shot next week, he said.
Madison County has received 11,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine. Most of it has been administered at the school clinics and the public walk-in clinics, but doses have been made available to local pediatric and obstetric practices, pharmacies and the county’s two colleges.
Local medical, law enforcement and firefighting personnel also have been vaccinated.
Free public walk-in clinics have been scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, at both health department locations, on North Boggs Lane in Richmond and on Rash Road in Berea.
While the department still strongly encourages targeted populations — age 6 months to 24 years, caregivers for children under 6 months, pregnant women, adults with chronic respiratory illnesses, health-care providers and emergency personnel — to be vaccinated, no one will be turned away from the Dec. 12 clinics, said Christie Green, health department spokesperson.
Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@
richmondregister.com or
at 624-6622.
Local News
Health board preparing for third wave of H1N1 virus
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Measuring education
Brent Ray, a local contractor, helps Kit Carson Elementary third-graders Nathan Buck and Anijah Rembert measure an outside wall Thursday morning during a class project to determine the perimeter of the school. The third-grade class broke into groups to measure sections of the outside walls which they used to find the perimeter.
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Kiwanis auction Saturday at City Hall
The annual Richmond Kiwanis Club auction will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. until about 5 p.m. with proceedings carried live on TimeWarner Cable Channel 12 and WEKY 1340 AM Radio.
“We have lots of great stuff, as we always do,” said Amanda Stepp, the auction coordinator.
“We have gift cards for almost every restaurant in Richmond as well as two pickup trucks that will be sold,” she said. -
Man pleads guilty to voyeurism charge
A man accused of taking pictures of a woman showering at a Berea truck stop was sentenced to probation Wednesday in Madison District Court.
Paul S. Byrd, 41, of McKee, was arrested Oct. 29 by the Kentucky State Police after a woman reported the incident at the 76 Truck Center off Interstate 75. -
Berea one of state’s first five cultural districts
The Kentucky Arts Council on Thursday named Berea one of the state’s first five certified cultural districts.
Although the legislature designated Berea the state’s Arts and Crafts Capital in the 1990s, this newest designation will draw even more attention and tourism to the city, said Belle Jackson, Berea’s tourism director. -
LRC plans to appeal judge’s HB1 ruling
The leadership of the General Assembly announced Thursday it plans to appeal Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd’s ruling that the legislature’s plan to re-draw state legislative boundaries is unconstitutional.
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Facebook post leads to arrest
A post on the Richmond Police Department’s Facebook page led to the arrest of a man suspected of stealing two Blu-Ray players from Walmart.
Walmart employees reported to police Jan. 25 that a man had concealed the electronics under his coat and attempted to leave the store without paying, said Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock in a news release. -
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The death of a Berea man and the attempted murder of another came at the hands of four people, according to indictments handed down Wednesday by a Madison grand jury.
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. - More Local News Headlines
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