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 December 13th, 2009
National News
The family of a Calgary H1N1 patient has come forward to say that the father of two has died due to complications related to the virus. The 35-year-old man, whom the family asked not to be identified, had been in and out of hospital with pneumonia for the past three weeks. Health authorities could not immediately confirm the death was related to H1N1. If confirmed, it would bring the number of deaths related to H1N1 to 66 across Alberta. Calgary Herald
A new poll suggests that Canadians think governments at all three levels have done an OK job of handling the H1N1 flu, though many also think the risk was exaggerated. The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey suggests that as concern is waning among Canadians, they are generally satisfied with how their governments responded to the pandemic. Nearly three-quarters, or 73 per cent, of those who took part in the survey assessed Ottawa's performance as good or fair, and the numbers were similar at the provincial and municipal levels. Winnipeg Free Press
International News
In the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, transmission of pandemic influenza virus remains active and geographically widespread; however disease activity has peaked or passed its peak in many places, particularly North America. Influenza activity continues to increase in later affected areas of south-eastern and central Europe, and in central and south Asia. In the tropical region of Central and South America and the Caribbean, influenza transmission remains geographically widespread but overall disease activity has been declining. WHO
The government of Switzerland plans to donate or sell some 4.5 million excess doses of the pandemic H1N1 vaccine due to the low uptake of shots. Germany and Spain have also said they want to reduce deliveries of the H1N1 vaccine and potentially return excess supplies to manufacturers, which could hit manufacturers’ profits. Switzerland, whose total population is 7.7 million, ordered 13 million doses of vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis. Reuters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently stated that the second wave of the H1N1 influenza pandemic continued to fade, as the number of states with widespread cases dropped to 11 and reported deaths in children also declined. The CDC also reported finding 15 more cases of oseltamivir (Tamiflu)–resistant H1N1 viruses, but it said those instances remain rare. The CDC weekly graph shows a sizable drop in flu-related hospitalizations and deaths last week compared with the week before and a mostly steady decline in both over the past 6 weeks. CIDRAP
Vaccine News
Australian vaccine maker CSL Ltd has announced that its pandemic H1N1 vaccine delivered a strong immune response after just one dose in children as young as 6 months. Global health authorities recommend children get two H1N1 shots for full protection, but the CSL vaccine showed strong response with just one shot. No serious safety concerns were reported with the vaccine. Reuters
Demand for swine flu vaccines below original forecasts is threatening to slow the growth in predicted revenues for four of Europe's leading pharmaceuticals companies. Academic studies in recent weeks have shown that most people require a single dose of vaccine to acquire protection, compared with the two doses originally believed necessary and used in orders by governments including the UK. Separately, public suspicion of the perceived risks of vaccines at a time when the impact of swine flu is far less than previously feared is also discouraging the use of those vaccines already delivered. Financial Times
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and Mongolia will be the first three countries to receive donated supplies of pandemic H1N1 vaccine funnelled through the World Health Organization. The WHO aims to vaccinate health care workers initially and other priority groups later in 95 developing countries, with the hope of covering about 10% of the population, or roughly 200 million people. At a news briefing, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, special assistant to the WHO director-general for pandemic flu, said six manufacturers and 12 countries have pledged about 180 million doses of vaccine, and the agency is negotiating with other countries about potential donations. CIDRAP
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