• News tips, submissions
• Questions, comments
• Contact webmaster

• Fatal accident investigated in Town of Emerald
• Wisconsin issues H1N1 outbreak update

A two-vehicle accident at the intersection of 220th Street and 170th Avenue in the Town of Emerald in St. Croix County has apparently resulted in a fatality.

Emergency crews were called out to the scene of the rural accident at around 11 a.m. The State Patrol, St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, United Fire and Rescue Department and Baldwin EMS were called to the scene.

Several others were also apparently injured in the collision. No further information is available.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has issued its weekly update on the H1N1 flu situation in the state.

According to the report, the Wisconsin Dells School District announced on Tuesday, Oct. 6, that they would be closing five schools due to increased influenza like illness. Those schools will reopen on Monday, Oct. 12.

Wisconsin Dells High School had 170 out of 587 students out sick on Monday and 180 students out sick on Tuesday, and many more at school who were showing ILI symptoms. An adjacent middle school and grade school also had significant illness with 10 percent of each schools student body out sick.

The Center for Disease Control continues to stress that school closure should be used as a last resort. However, if there are a significant number of sick students in one school or a number of schools that share facilities or buses, a limited closure may be the best option. In most cases those decisions are made by the local health department in consultation with the school, the school district and DHS.

Parents are reminded that keeping sick children home from school until 24 hours after they are free of fever (100°F [37.8°C] or greater) with the aid of medication is the safest way to prevent the spread of any illness. DHS is also encouraging parents to have a pre-designated plan for caring for a sick child at home for the duration of a school exclusion period, which for most children will by three to five days. Wisconsin businesses are also encouraged to adopt similar plans with their employees.

Wisconsin was among the first states to submit H1N1 vaccine orders to CDC last week and providers in the state began receiving those shipments on Monday. Initial shipments were limited and only consisted of nasal mist, which is only recommended for those between the ages of 2 and 49 years of age and is not recommended for pregnant women or those with asthma.

Wisconsin was allocated a total of 46,000 doses, which were targeted toward larger hospitals, clinic systems and public health agencies so they could begin to vaccinate the health care workforce. Approximately 80 providers received shipments this week.

DHS has yet to receive a total allocation for next week's vaccine shipment, however, it is expected to be larger and it is expected to include the injectable form of the vaccine. These shipments will again be targeted toward the health care workforce and will be expanded to include smaller hospitals, clinics and public health agencies who did not receive vaccine in the first week's shipment. There are an estimated 250,000 health care workers and emergency first responders in Wisconsin.

After the week of Oct. 11, vaccine will start to be targeted toward public health agencies and private health care providers and toward the later part of October public vaccination clinics and school based clinics will begin to occur around the state.

Currently, Wisconsin is experiencing elevated flu activity in most areas of the state, with cases reported from 48 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Some 99 percent of all the circulating influenza viruses have been confirmed as H1N1. Flu activity is currently higher than what is normally seen at this time of the year.

DHS has not yet seen the type of week-to-week community escalation that occurred in the spring, however, in the Southern United States - where schools opened in August - they are experiencing escalating outbreaks that we could very well see here in Wisconsin, according to health officials.

Since September 1, 2009, Wisconsin has had 17 hospitalizations and one death. There have been nine deaths statewide since the first H1N1 cases were seen in Wisconsin this spring.