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Flu Epidemic Blankets Netherlands

Jan. 10, 2000

The flu epidemic sweeping the Netherlands will infect up to 20 percent of the country before winter ends.

Health officials in Amsterdam Friday said a flu epidemic sweeping the Netherlands will infect up to 20 percent of the country before winter ends.

The eastern provinces have already reported high numbers of infections, registering up to 26 cases per 10,000 people, according to the National Center for Influenza.

If the center's forecast holds, up to 3 million of the Netherlands' 15 million inhabitants stand to get sick this winter.

Center spokesman Albert Osterhaus said people were being urged to get anti-flu vaccinations or medications.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States says that most people who get the flu recover completely in one to two weeks. However, some people can develop serious and potentially life-threatening medical complications, such as pneumonia.

So far this year, 19 states have reported a high incidence of flu cases to the CDC.

In an average year, influenza is associated with about 20,000 deaths in the United States and many more hospitalizations, according to CDC statistics.

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EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.