H1N1 flu cases did not diminish as much during the winter months as originally predicted, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Although large numbers of cases aren’t being seen like in the fall, when there were 14 deaths from the “swine flu” in Alabama, H1N1 cases are still being treated across the state, said Dr. Jim McVay, director of health promotion and chronic disease for the public health department.
“It has never completely gone away,” McVay said.
In February, there were three deaths related to the H1N1 virus, for a total of 40 documented deaths since the epidemic began in April 2009.
During previous H1N1 epidemics during the 1950s and 1970s, the virus peaked in the fall, decreased during the traditional flu winter months and then increased again in the spring. But this year has been different. The cases never decreased as much as expected.
via Swine flu numbers higher than expected | | TuscaloosaNews.com.