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The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is reporting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned the state about fraudulent e-mails referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program.   The scam asks recipients of the messages to register personal information if they received a 2009... more »

The Flathead Health Department tells us that their past few vaccination clinics haven't been very busy, and things seem to be slowing down with the H1N1 chaos, but they say now that we are in the height of the holiday travel season- they expect cases to go up once again. ... more »

Montana has received its largest shipment of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine to date according to the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Over 37,000 doses of vaccine arrived in Montana this week, bringing the total number of doses the state has received to over 194,000.  These doses have been... more »

The number of H1N1 flu infections across the country appears to be dropping. Federal health officials say the number of states reporting widespread flu has dropped from 43 to 32. Here in Montana, health officials report regional cases of the flu as of November 21st, but it is not... more »

Yellowstone County residents are getting another chance to get their H1N1 vaccine on Monday. The Unified Health Command in Billings is hosting its sixth H1N1 walk-in clinic at the Shrine Auditorium and RiverStone Health says that 1,200 doses of the vaccine will be distributed. The clinic runs from... more »

The Lake County Health Department is planning to H1N1 walk-in clinics each Tuesday as supplies allow. The free clinics will be held from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. each Tuesday at the Lake County Public Health Department in Polson and at Tribal Health facilities in Arlee, Elmo, Ronan and... more »

Missoula County is holding a H1N1 clinic at Sentinel High School on Sunday, this time targeting school children. (see related story) The virus is still making headlines, and making people sick. And our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Brad Pickhardt, is answering more of your questions about the H1N1 flu.... more »

Another pair of flu-related deaths have been reported in Wyoming. The Wyoming Department of Health reports that an adult male from Natrona County, with underlying health conditions, died in late October, while an adult male from Park County died last week. Neither case was specifically linked to the... more »

The Flathead City-County Health Department plans to vaccinate several thousand people for the seasonal flu after receiving a large shipment earlier this week. While H1N1 has been the focus this flu season, Flathead health officials say the seasonal flu is still a threat, and at-risk people should get vaccinated.... more »

Parents who brought their children to get vaccinated on Sunday got a surprise when they were allowed to be vaccinated as well at Missoula's H1N1 clinic. Thanks to more than enough vaccine, Missoula's health department was able to help more people than expected and Sunday's clinic was eventually open... more »

Another round of H1N1 vaccinations was administered in Billings on Monday. Barbara Schneeman with RiverStone Health says all 1,500 doses of the vaccine were given out. As a result, no further clinics will be held this week. She also said due to a delay in shipments of the seasonal flu vaccine, walk-in... more »

Some people may start to wonder with all the H1N1 Flu clinics is the illness slowing down. Missoula health experts say they track the number of people going to the ER, Urgent Care and student absences. When the school year started we saw a peak, but officials say... more »

Limited H1N1 vaccine supplies have gotten a lot of attention this fall, but now lack of seasonal vaccinations are raising concern. Ravalli County received a limited supply of the seasonal flu vaccine and were completely out by October 1st. Ravalli County Public Health Nursing Director Judy Griffin told us the... more »

The Lake County Public Heath Department as well as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health department will hold a joint H1N1 flu clinic in Lake County on Saturday. The clinic is Saturday November 14th at the Ronan Event Center from 10 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. This Clinic is... more »

The Flathead City-County Health Department has announced that they’ll be holding three more H1N1 clinics next week. “We continue to receive adequate amounts of vaccine to continue an aggressive campaign to immunize those population identified by the CDC,” stated Joe Russell, Flathead County Health Officer. The Centers for... more »

The Missoula City County Health Department is holding flu immunizations at their now more permanent location, but by appointment only. The first priority risk group is took advantage of the clinic on Friday and Saturday in the old Dahle's Big and Tall building near Southgate Mall. The clinic... more »

Missoula County Public Schools trustees have approved the district's H1N1 flu plan. Sentinel High School sponsored last Sunday's Flu clinic for Tier one higher risk children, and after that clinic the district feels comfortable about helping that student group. Three Schools also held evening clinics last week where... more »

The Ravalli County Public Health Department is planning to hold a H1N1 vaccination clinic on Saturday, November 14 th from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the First Interstate Center at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds.  The walk-in clinic is for Ravalli County residents who fall in the following high... more »

The Flathead City-County Health Department is holding their fifth free H1N1 vaccine clinic on Tuesday. It will be held from 12:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Trade Center Building at the north end of the Flathead County fairgrounds. Officials say that both the injectable and nasal spray... more »

Lake County health officials are holding another H1N1 vaccine clinic on Tuesday. The latest clinic will be held in Charlo from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Charlo School. Those eligible to get the shot on Tuesday are: pregnant women; children 6 months to 18 years of... more »

Thousands of people across Montana have received an H1N1 flu vaccine, but many have not and have concerns about the vaccine.     We brought viewer questions to health experts. The first question was about the number of vaccines being given out. "Every week we find out how much we... more »

State health officials have launched a hotline to help keep the public informed about the H1N1 Flu virus. The hotline will use technology to locate where the caller is when they call in and then direct the person to their local county information. The new system includes dates,... more »

What a difference a week makes. Monday, people who went to the H1N1 clinic in Billings did not see long lines or have a long wait. The H1N1 walk-in clinic was free to people in the priority group that includes young children, pregnant women and health care workers. Some... more »

The World Health Organization's flu chief says the H1N1 flu virus is now the predominant flu strain worldwide, and in some countries, it accounts for up to 70% of the flu viruses being sampled. While most people recover from the illness without medical treatment, officials are still seeing severe cases... more »

The Centers for Disease Control announced Tuesday that the viral outbreak of H1N1 continues to grow, while the vaccine production is not keeping pace. Montana is seeing the same thing. For the past two Mondays hundreds of people have stood in line at H1N1 vaccination clinics in Billings. On both... more »

Butte-Silver Bow Health Department officials have confirmed that a Butte man has died from complications that resulted from the H1N1 virus.  Assistant Health Officer Karen Billson says the man was in his early 50s and died following the rapid onset of a bacterial infection leading to pneumonia. She added that he also... more »

Missoula's third H1N1 flu clinic was aimed at a selective group of at-risk people on Sunday, but as the clinic progressed all that changed. The clinic was originally aimed at two higher-risk groups that haven't been vaccinated. But, with a large amount of vaccine on hand and the... more »

Additional H1N1 vaccination clinics are being scheduled this week for Lake County residents. Health officials say that they are continuing to receive the H1N1 vaccine on a weekly basis and that enough has been shipped so that clinics can be held in St. Ignatius and Arlee. The first H1N1 clinic... more »

  The vaccine supply is depleted, clinic suspended for rest of week. Round two of the H1N1 vaccine clinic went fast, but it didn't last long. By 4:15 p.m., the 1,200 doses of vaccine were accounted for, and the clinic has been suspended for the rest of the week. Although... more »

The first in a series of forums to educate people about how best to fight the flu is on tap in Billings. Health officials say that with the seasonal flu, the priority is to vaccinate older people. But with the H1N1 flu, the priority is younger people. RiverStone Health will... more »

The Flathead Health Department and Kalispell schools say their constant communication is the key to what they say demonstrates successful management of the H1N1 virus. Kalispell District 5 officials say that they have seen a decrease in students with flu-like symptoms, but they are continuing to work hand in hand with... more »

A limited supply of the H1N1 vaccine in Lake County, has prompted health officials to hold a mass clinic on Tuesday. It will take place at the Ronan Community Center on Third Avenue Northwest from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and healthy children ages 2 to 4 are eligible for... more »

The Missoula City-County Health Department is planning a H1N1 vaccination clinic for pregnant women. Missoula City-County Health Department Officer Ellen Leahy says they received a shipment containing 400 doses of injectable vaccine. They also still have some others is stock which will be provided to the public during the next event. Missoula health... more »

Some Western Montana hospitals have placed restrictions on visitors that are at high risk of spreading the H1N1 Flu virus.  St. Patrick Hospital, and Community Medical Center in Missoula, along with St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson and the Western Montana Clinic have all put restrictions into effect. The facilities are requesting that... more »

Local health officials have confirmed the first death in Yellowstone County related to the H1N1 flu. The Unified Health Command hosted a news conference on Friday evening and announced that a 6-year old child died here two weeks ago. Doctors say the death happened at around the time medical personnel... more »

Great Falls has received a shipment of the injectable form of the H1N1 flu vaccine, which opens up protection from the virus to a greater number people. The City-County Health Department conducted a second flu vaccine clinic on Thursday, and health officials had an overwhelming response from people who want... more »

The latest government survey has found that one in five U.S. children had a flu-like illness earlier this month, and most of those cases likely were the H1N1 flu.      A federal health official announced the findings Wednesday at a medical meeting in Atlanta. The information comes from a household survey... more »

Women waited in line Monday morning to get vaccinated at Community Medical Center 's H1N1 clinic for pregnant women. CMC and the Missoula City-County Health Department provided free vaccinations to pregnant women who live in Missoula County. Women who live outside the county, but have medical providers in Missoula were... more »

The H1N1 flu is putting a damper on Halloween plans at a Butte hospital. St. James Healthcare announced Wednesday that its annual Halloween party, Trick or Treat Street, is canceled due to the illness. "With the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza, we implemented visitor restrictions at the hospital to protect... more »

There's growing evidence that children are most vulnerable to the H1N1 flu, with new numbers from the Centers for Disease Control showing that over half of the H1N1 hospitalizations since September 1 st have been people under the age of 25. In addition, nearly a quarter of the deaths are... more »

Health officials say the first H1N1 vaccine clinic held Thursday night in the Mining City was a huge success.  Even though hundreds of people gathered even before doors opened to get vaccinated Assistant Health Officer Karen Billson says no one was turned away. Of the 300 vaccines, 299 were administered... more »

The worst of the H1N1 flu outbreak appears to have passed at schools in Anaconda. The outbreak led to the closure of all schools on Friday, Oct. 9 when 25 percent of the student population was out sick. Schools reopened last Monday, but then closed again on Tuesday and Wednesday when... more »

Lewis and Clark County has just received a pair of small shipments of the H1N1 nasal spray, and plan to hold a health clinic in Helena to distribute the vaccine. Health officials have 250 doses available, and the top priority is being given to healthy children between 2 and 4... more »

Like many other places across the country, long lines snaked for blocks with parents and children waiting to get vaccinated at the Missoula clinic on Friday. Hundreds of children did get the vaccine, but not without waiting for hours. The Missoula Health services department says with more disease and an... more »

 Health clinics and the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department are being flooded with phone calls from residents asking about the vaccines for the H1N1 virus. As a result, the health department released the following information. First, because there is just a limited supply of the vaccine, it will not be made... more »

The first shipment of the injectable form of the H1N1 vaccine has arrived in Butte-Silver Bow. Butte-Silver Bow Assistant Health Officer Karen Billson says 100 doses arrived on Wednesday, along with another 200 doses of the nasal spray vaccine. Montana Tech received 50 doses of the nasal spray with the... more »

Parents waited in line for hours to get their children vaccinated against the H1N1 Flu in Kalispell on Thursday, and in just two hours over 400 doses were given out. Overall there were 1,000 nasal spray vaccines, along with a limited number of injectable vaccines, available for the clinic. "This... more »

The H1N1 flu vaccine has arrived in Missoula, but right now, it's only going out to residence halls on the University of Montana campus. Meanwhile, pharmacies around the Garden City are running out of the seasonal flu vaccine. That shortage comes as the H1N1 flu vaccine is beginning to arrive... more »

Health officials in Ravalli County are planning to hold another H1N1 vaccine clinic in the Bitterroot Valley. The event will be held on Friday from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at St. Francis Pastoral Life Center, which is located at 411 South Fifth Street in Hamilton. The H1N1 clinic is... more »

St. Peter's Hospital in Helena has closed visitation to anyone under the age of 24 as the H1N1 Flu keeps spreading. The Helena Independent Record reports one person died this week in Lewis and Clark County from complications from the virus. The hospital is also limiting visits to two people... more »