Swine Flu Spread Called 'Unprecedented'

Maine Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Dora Anne Mills says the swine flu virus has put Maine and the nation in an "unprecedented situation."

Dr. Mills made the comments in an e-mail describing her recent trip to Washington D.C. to meet with national health officials about H1N1. She says more kids have died in the U.S. because of H1N1 in the past month than the number of children who die from seasonal flu in a single year.

"We are in an unprecedented situation, with a pediatric and young adult pandemic, increasing numbers of children dying of H1N1, and a vaccine that is just now trickling into states," wrote Dr. Mills.

The vaccines are just starting to trickle into the state, and Dr. Mills says it's important that "high-priority" groups, such as children and pregnant women, receive vaccines first since there is a limited supply in Maine. She says this must be done as quickly as possible.

Dr. Mills says it could be "several years" before the H1N1 pandemic is over.

(Provided by News 13)