Delays in producing the vaccine mean 28 million to 30 million doses, at most, will be divided around the country by the end of the month, not the 40 million-plus states had been expecting. The new count from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention means anxiously awaited flu-shot clinics in some parts of the U.S. may have to be postponed.

It also delays efforts to blunt increasing infections. Overall, what CDC calls the 2009 H1N1 flu is causing widespread disease in 41 states, and about 6 percent of all doctor visits are for flu-like illness — levels not normally seen until much later in the fall.

Federal health officials said Friday 11 more children have died in the past week because of the virus.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about half of the child deaths since September have been among teenagers. And overall for the country, deaths from pneumonia and flu-like illnesses have passed what CDC considers an epidemic level.

“These are very sobering statistics,” says the CDC’s Dr. Anne Schuchat.
This new strain is different from regular winter flu because it strikes the young far more than the old, and child deaths are drawing particular attention. Eighty-six children have died of swine flu in the U.S. since it burst on the scene last spring — 43 of those deaths reported in September and early October alone, said Schuchat.

The complete article can be found here.

During the week of September 27-October 3, 2009, influenza activity continued to increase in the United States. Flu activity is now widespread in 37 states. Nationwide, visits to doctors for influenza-like-illness increased over last week and are higher than expected for this time of year. In addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths are increasing as well, and are higher than expected.

Below article clippings via: Yahoo News
ATLANTA – U.S. health officials say swine flu could strike up to 40 percent of Americans over the next two years and as many as several hundred thousand could die if a vaccine campaign and other measures aren’t successful….

…In a normal flu season, about 36,000 people die from flu and its complications, according to American Medical Association estimates. Because so many more people are expected to catch the new flu, the number of deaths over two years could range from 90,000 to several hundred thousand, the CDC calculated. Again, that is if a new vaccine and other efforts fail…

…The World Health Organization says as many as 2 billion people could become infected over the next two years — nearly one-third of the world population…

…WHO officials believe the world is in the early phase of the new pandemic.  First identified in April, swine flu has likely infected more than 1 million Americans, the CDC believes, with many of those suffering mild cases never reported. There have been 302 deaths and nearly 44,000 reported cases, according to numbers released Friday morning.

Because the swine flu virus is new, most people haven’t developed an immunity against it. So far, most of those who have died from it in the United States have had other health problems, such as asthma.

Additional information and informative links:

News Articles: Tamiflu resistant viruses
Tamiflu-resistant swine flu case found in Canada
First case in Americas of drug-resistant swine flu: reports
Tamiflu-Resistant Swine Flu Virus Found in Hong Kong

Flu Warnings: Flu Chief
AP Interview: Flu chief: Pandemic in early stages

The WHO and CDC have stopped daily reporting of deaths/cases as the numbers get harder to delineate and too large. Current death toll was somewhere near 700 with a recent jump of 66% from the last count. Margaret Chan is warning this could be the biggest flu pandemic ever seen.
Global swine flu death toll now over 700: WHO
First defense against swine flu – seasonal vaccine

Nature and Science released studies showing that the virus is vastly different from the common seasonal flu.
Swine flu virus linked to more lung damage: lab study