The Kansas Department of Health and Environment estimates that at least 10,000 Kansans have already been infected with the novel H1N1 influenza A virus. As many as 550,000 to 1.1 million Kansas residents could be infected within the next two years, with many cases compressed into waves of infection lasting several weeks. These pandemic waves may put considerable stress on the State's health care system.

Hospitals are coordinating their response with public health officials as the H1N1 flu outbreak continues to unfold. This includes ongoing monitoring of inpatient bed capacity/emergency department status via EMResource™ (Web-based application) and surveillance of patients presenting with possible H1N1 flu virus.