Flu causing saline shortage

Time for another update on the flu outbreak with the videos and articles I included in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (NASA and Super Bowl) on Daily Kos.  All of them are from KPBS.

First, under the "if it moves, it leads" policy, comes Flu Season Results In Saline Shortage At San Diego Blood Bank.

An increase in flu patients heading to hospitals for dehydration has resulted in a nationwide shortage of saline at blood banks.

More in the accompanying article and in Nationwide Saline Shortage Cuts Into San Diego Blood Supply.

The spike in saline demand came when manufacturers were closed for the holidays, and now that production is back underway, hospitals and dialysis centers have top priority in getting orders filled, according to the SDBB.

The organization said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working with the manufacturers to end the saline shortage by spring.

Next, an overview of the situation.

San Diego Flu Season Death Toll Rises To 20
By City News Service
Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Eight more people died of influenza-related causes last week in San Diego County, bringing the local "flu season" toll to 20, the county Health and Human Services Agency reported Wednesday.

The victims have ranged in age from 32 to 91 years and all had underlying medical conditions or were elderly, according to the HHSA.

Last year, 65 flu-related deaths were reported by the county. At this point in 2013, 19 had died.

The HHSA reported that 609 cases of influenza were reported last week, bringing the season total to 2,620.

I still have to get a vaccination.  The good news is that my exposure to H1N1 that saved me in 2009 still seems to be working.  *Knocks on wood*