In a
study of 1,088 California patients with 2009 H1N1 flu reported in the Nov. 4 Journal of the American Medical Association, infants had the highest hospitalization rates and patients over 50 had the highest death rate. About 30% of patients were admitted to an intensive care unit. The study by the California Department of Public Health examined H1N1 flu cases reported between April 23 and Aug. 11 involving patients who were hospitalized or died. Their median age was 27, and 32% were children. About 60% of children and 72% of adults had chronic health conditions associated with increased risk for severe flu.
