The next update will be on Thursday, October 29th, at 0830 hrs PST.
The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6
Influenza A (H1N1) Cases and Deaths
*Cases reported by The World Health Organization (WHO) are as of October 18th, 2009
National News
A pre-teen girl believed to have had the H1N1 virus, but no pre-existing medical conditions, has died on October, 24th at an Ottawa hospital. The girl was initially admitted to hospital with mild symptoms, but her condition quickly worsened. Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, the medical officer of health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, said the girl was healthy until the appearance of the flu symptoms, which included fever, muscle pain, and coughing. The virus has now contributed to at least 87 deaths in Canada. Edmonton Sun
Officials say 15 schools in Edmonton have an absentee rate above 10 per cent, while 30 per cent of the students at one school called in sick. Letters have been sent home with students in the school reminding them to take precautions, like washing their hands frequently. The letter also had a warning for students and parents who may be in high risk groups to pay special attention to any of the indicators of influenza infection and see a health-care provider immediately. CBC
Health Canada recently issued a reminder to pharmacists and health care providers on how to properly transform capsules of the antiviral drug Tamiflu into a liquid form suitable for children. Some pharmacists have been using the capsules because of a shortage in some areas of the country of the syrup form of Tamiflu. The maker of Tamiflu, Hoffman-La Roche, said it is placing a higher priority on producing the capsules given increasing demand during the current pandemic of H1N1 influenza A virus. Health Canada's reminder includes instructions on how to mix the powder from the capsules with syrup for use by children. CBC
International News
In North America, the U.S.A. is still reporting nationwide high rates of pandemic H1N1 2009 virus detections well above baseline rates. Although influenza activity is low in most countries in Europe, in Belgium, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, and parts of the United Kingdom consultation rates are above baseline levels. Of note, the proportion of cases in Asia that are related to seasonal influenza A(H3N2) continue to decline globally as the proportion related to pandemic H1N1 2009 virus increases. Currently, only East Asia is reporting any significant numbers of seasonal influenza isolates. In tropical areas of the world, rates of illness are generally declining, with a few exceptions. WHO
Responding to a dramatic surge in the number of U.S. H1N1 cases, President Barack Obama has signed a proclamation declaring H1N1 influenza a national emergency in the United States. The order will speed the ability of hospitals and health authorities to take measures to fight the pandemic through such steps as setting up tents in hospital parking lots to establish extra emergency room care and creating health clinics in school gymnasiums or community centres. The death toll in the U.S. since the end of August of laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 is 411, but a factor worrying health experts is that many of the victims are young children. Globe and Mail
Rhode Island is now the first state in the US to launch a system for tracking H1N1 and other disease outbreaks. The Department of Health will use”e-prescribing” to track diseases. The system was first created to issue drug prescriptions electronically. Another first that made this tracking possible; Rhode Island is the first state with 100 percent of its retail pharmacies participating in ‘e-prescribing’. WPRI
South Korean health authorities have reported the deaths of three children due to H1N1, raising the country's death toll from the new virus to 23. According to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, a nine-year-old boy, an 11-year-old girl and a 15-year old middle school student infected with H1N1 succumbed to their illness. Fears are growing in South Korea recently over the fast spread of the new flu. The government is considering setting up a government-wide national emergency management agency to cope with the H1N1 virus. China View
Vaccine News
The H1N1 influenza vaccine is now available across most of Canada to health care workers and people considered at a higher risk for complications from the respiratory illness. Eligible groups include individuals under the age of 65 who have chronic medical conditions, as well as pregnant women, children under the age of five and people living in First Nations or remote and isolated communities. Clinical trials worldwide suggest that up to 85 per cent of healthy adults who are vaccinated will develop immunity within 10 days. Vaccinations are expected to continue throughout November and December and are free of charge. CBC
Questions about the tardy US supply of pandemic H1N1 vaccine have increased with the report that most of Novartis's doses may not reach the country until early in 2010 and a European regulatory recommendation that may have implications for the global vaccine supply. Novartis has a contract to supply about 35% of the total projected US supply of about 251 million doses. Only 16.1 million doses have become available. The European Union's drug regulatory agency announced it would maintain an earlier recommendation for a two-dose regimen of the three H1N1 vaccines approved in the EU, despite data showing one-dose efficacy for two of the vaccines. The recommendation raises the possibility of a major increase in European demand for the vaccines, with possible repercussions for the US supply. CIDRAP
In one of Canada's first sweeps of H1N1 inoculation, street nurses will be on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, vaccinating the homeless, the downtrodden, and the drug-addicted. On the other side of the country, H1N1 syringes will be administered to individuals at some of the bigger shelters in Montreal and Toronto. Many of those who work closely with the homeless hope the efforts will be enough to keep H1N1 from striking a population segment that is among society's most vulnerable. CTV
The federal government has bought 200,000 doses of unadjuvanted vaccine from an Australian company so that pregnant women who want to use that version of the shot can get it earlier. The doses are expected to arrive early next week. The government has ordered 1.8 million doses of the unadjuvanted H1N1 vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline but they are not expected to arrive until after non-priority groups begin getting shots in the arm. The doses being administered contain an adjuvant, a mixture of water, fish oil, and vitamin E that stretches the supply of vaccine so it does not have to contain as much antigen. Ottawa Star
Weekly Feature
Get all the H1N1 virus infection rates, vaccine schedules, and antiviral availability in Canada on the Public Health Agency of Canada’s interactive nation-wide map. PHAC
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