Day Thirty of the Avian Influenza Epidemic

As of today, there have been 400 total confirmed deaths attributed to Avian Influenza (H5N1) in the past thirty days since the outbreak of this disease occurred outside of Ely, Minnesota. Along with the Vermillion Community College, schools with infected students have been shut down and the students at Vermillion Community College have been prohibited from returning home to their families during break as well.
As of today the vaccine for H5N1 has been approved by the FDA and is being mass produced for distribution in the next week or so. The groups of people that will be receive the vaccine first will be small children under five years of age, the elderly, health care providers, child care facilitators, and anyone with breathing or health issues such as asthma. As soon as the vaccine is distributed most, if not all health facilities will be available to give the vaccine to the groups above at first and eventually the general public. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is constantly on the watch for more cases of the Avian flu and are encouraging hospitals and clinics to do the same.
As well as using proper health procedures such as washing hands frequently, sneezing and coughing into your sleeve and using an alcohol-based cleanser when it is available the Minnesota Department of Health is continuing to follow the Pandemic Influenza Plan by quarantining contaminated or exposed individuals, promoting community-wide infection control and closure of schools, office buildings, and public transportation. The MDH also recommends that infected individuals should stay at home until the course of the disease is over.
The CDC and the MHD has a positive outlook for this epidemic. If the above precautions are considered and vaccines given to the community the MHD believes that this virus can be contained and not become a pandemic