Health

CHICAGO (CBS) ― New numbers reveal the H1N1 virus is more widespread than previously believed, amid a shortage of vaccine in some quarters.

As CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports, the Illinois Department of Public Health says there have been 368 new cases and 12 deaths from H1N1 just this week alone. That brings the total of number of H1N1 cases in Illinois to 1,371, with 48 deaths, since the state started tracking the virus last spring.
As the state continues to watch H1N1 cases mount up, nationwide, the numbers are also skyrocketing.

The Centers for Disease Control now says that earlier reports of official numbers underestimated the problem. The newly revised figures reveal that 22 million Americans have already been infected.

"The new numbers just emphasize how important our recommendations are," said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control.

Children and young adults are still the hardest-hit age group. One of the biggest challenges for health officials trying to control H1N1 is that the course it takes is entirely unpredictable. Pandemics in the past have struck in waves.

"So even if things do start to get better in the weeks ahead, in terms of the counts of illness, or the patterns of illness, flu season can last until May, so we have to be on alert to protect the population through the next several months," Schuchat said.

That means the pressure is on for people to get the vaccine, at a time when finding a place where it's available seems to be hit or miss. The CDC expects to get more in the next few weeks, but admits it's coming in much more slowly than they would like.

"We do expect more to become available in the days and weeks ahead, but we do think vaccinations are going to go on for several months," Schuchat said.

Despite many people complaining that their health care providers don't have enough vaccine and they can't get it, the Illinois Department of Public Health still insists there should be enough to go around for everyone who wants it. It just may take a while.

The federal government has ordered 250 million doses of the shots and nasal spray. Health authorities are asking people to be patient, as they continue to wait for it to become available.

Healthcare workers had their work cut out for them in Lake County Friday as hundreds lined up to receive the H1N1 vaccine. Appointments for the 2,500-doses were snatched up in about 4-hours.

Ninety-year-old Irene Glendon of Vernon Hills was thrilled to get one. "I feel very good because I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to get it," Glendon told CBS 2's Mai Martinez moments after receiving her H1N1 flu shot.

Some, like little Nicholas Brunetti, weren't as eager. He had to be coaxed out from under a table to get his shot, but when it was done, he said he felt better because "it didn't hurt."

Brunetti's mother, Maria Brunetti, was also feeling better after all three of her children received the H1N1 vaccine.

"I know that even if they come in contact with the virus that their life is not at risk," Brunetti, holding her 10-month-old daughter in her arms, said.

With the shortage of the H1N1 vaccine, many health agencies are focusing their efforts on vaccinating people in the high-risk categories. Those include young children, healthcare workers, pregnant women and people with underlying medical conditions.

That will be the plan Saturday at four Cook County Department of Public Health walk-in clinics scheduled to be held in Cicero, Ford Heights, Robbins and Palatine.

Four hundred doses of the H1N1 vaccine will be available at each clinic. At 7 a.m., tickets will be given to the first 400 people in line, and appointments will start at 8.

"We want to make sure that we get that target group first before we see older adults who don't have any medical condition," Dr. Stephen Martin, the department's chief operating officer, said.

Martin said his agency's abilities are limited when it comes to screening high-risk patients.

"The health department has tremendous pressure and a tremendous task," he said. "We cannot be the vaccine police, so we're asking our residents just to be honest when they walk up -- that if you're not in that party group, please stay home."

He stressed that more vaccine will be available in the future, but for now they want to make sure it gets to those in need first. He added, his department plans to host walk-in clinics at the same four locations every Saturday through Dec. 5.

CBS 2's Susan Carlson and Mai Martinez contributed to this report.

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