MONDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- As of Oct.16, 11 more children in the United States had died of H1N1 influenza in the past week, elevating the disease above epidemic proportions, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced at an Oct. 16 news conference.
Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases in Atlanta, said 86 children have died of H1N1 flu since the virus emerged last spring, which demonstrates the concern that the virus is particularly dangerous for children and young adults.
In addition, Schuchat said that because of manufacturing problems, fewer than 30 million doses of H1N1 vaccine will be available in the country by the end of this month, far fewer than the goal of 40 million. Currently, 11 million doses of vaccine are available and eight million of them have been ordered by the states.
"The delays the manufacturers have will have a substantial impact for the states in their planning efforts. We are seeing more and more vaccine become available -- we wish it were more than it is, but at least we have some," Schuchat said at the news conference.
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