*Cases reported by The World Health Organization (WHO) are as of February 7, 2010
National News
The Canadian Institute for Health Information, an organization that tracks and analyses data on the Canadian health care system, has released a report on the impact of the H1N1 pandemic. According to the report, in 2009 the H1N1 virus sent more Canadians to intensive care in hospital than has, on average, the seasonal flu. Not only were they more numerous, but hospital patients were 40 years younger than those typically admitted with seasonal influenza. Those who died as a result of H1N1 infection were on average 30 years younger than the seasonal norm. Winnipeg Free Press
International News
The World Health Organization (WHO) will meet on February 18th to decide whether or not the H1N1 virus has moved from its highest level of activity to a post-peak period. WHO influenza chief said “This is a period in which we consider that the pandemic is still continuing,” such as in North Africa and Eastern Europe, but the overall trend reflects seasonal influenza patterns. The shift in status will serve as a trigger for many government and corporate pandemic plans that will allow them to move from response to the current pandemic, to recovery activities and looking to the future. University of Minnesota CIDRAP
Cape Town, South Africa is bracing for its second pandemic wave in July / August with the coming South African winter. The city is also hosting the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament, which has placed an additional burden on preparation efforts for a country whose per capita wealth equals less than a quarter of Canada’s. The month-long tourney is expected to attract 450,000 tourists from around the world. To stave off a potential outbreak, the South African health ministry has acquired 1.3 million doses of H1N1 vaccine and a commitment from the World Health Organization to donate another 3.5 million doses by March. Reuters
According to US public health officials approximately 57 million, or almost one in five, Americans contracted the H1N1 flu virus, almost 260,000 people were hospitalized, and over 11,000 people have died from infection. A survey by the American Centres for Disease Control and Prevention found that about 70 million Americans have been vaccinated against the H1N1 influenza. That means that potentially 41% of the US population may now be immune to the virus. The United States has had one of the lowest uptake rates for H1N1 vaccination and is considered to be one of the hardest-hit amongst developed nations by the pandemic. Washington Post
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