According to the World Health Organization, more than 12,000 thousand people died from the H1N1 pandemic virus in 2009.

A high percentage of those deaths were from right here in the U.S.

Now, area health officials are gearing up for another possible outbreak of the virus.

The H1N1 virus is a relatively new strain of influenza that people started contracting early last year.

Wiregrass health officials are hoping the experiences they had last year with the virus will translate into better preparation for this year.

Public health officials are preparing for a possible resurgence of the H1N1 virus.

“We think there will be one, typically it will be in February and March when we're still having cold weather in the winter months,” said Lesa Smith, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator with the Alabama Department of Public Health, district 10.

People first became infected with the new strain of the influenza virus in early 2009.

A second and more intense wave followed in the fall.

“For public health it was the busiest time we've ever had. August and September we were having hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cases and with that many cases we were fortunate not to have a lot of deaths,” said Smith.

More than 40 people in Alabama died from the H1N1 virus in 2009.
Most health officials believe another outbreak is likely, but not certain.

“Typically we do have a third wave with all pandemics. We can’t predict what it's going to do, I can’t sit here and tell you we'll have a third wave that's as bad as the second wave, we hope not,” added Smith.

Health officials say last year's pandemic better prepared them and the public for another outbreak.

“Everybody is taking it a lot more serious. They know now that it's not a matter of if we'll have a pandemic but when we have a pandemic. It's not that they're more comfortable with it but they're more informed and more educated about it,” said Cyndi Tereszkiewicz, a senior environmentalist

Health officials say your best bet against catching the virus to get your h1n1 vaccine.

The shot is free when you get it through the department of health.

From April 2009 to November 2009, in the US, 3,900 people have died of the H1N1 pandemic virus, whereas 36,000 people per year die from the common flu, mostly in winter.