The flu season is nearing an end but health officials say we probably haven’t seen the last of the H1N1 virus. They are warning that the virus could return in a third wave.
The Inland Empire was the last area of California with "localized" outbreaks. Riverside County health Officer Eric Frykman says that while most people avoided the virus, H1N1 could make another comeback.
“We could expect the virus to come in a wave in the next 6-to-12 months. If it does, you could expect another emphasis on getting the H1N1 vaccine,” Frykman told Inland News Today.
Dr. Frykman says those who were vaccinated can expect protection up to 12 months.
An estimated 57 million Americans have contracted pandemic H1N1 influenza since the outbreak began last April, about 257,000 have been hospitalized with complications from it, and nearly 12,000 have died, according to estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
