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H1N1 hits under-20s hardest
June 30, 2009
Joan Walters
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jun 30, 2009)
Canadian health officials are now tracking pockets of severe illness from the pandemic H1N1 influenza in healthy people with no underlying medical conditions.
"We are obviously concerned by these severe cases," said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer. "This pattern of more severe disease is something we've largely just seen over the last few weeks."
The majority of those who catch this flu are under 20, and "that appears to be where much of the spread is taking place." Few people over 65 are contracting the virus, opposite of what happens during regular flu season when seniors account for a quarter of cases.
As of Friday, Canada had 7,775 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus -- most of them mild -- with 21 deaths.
Butler-Jones said health officials are closely tracking the severe cases, although there was no clear information yesterday about geography or scope of the severe disease.
He said information is still being gathered on the number of cases where "an individual was previously healthy before catching this virus and rapidly has progressed to severe illness and requiring a ventilator."
The pockets of severe flu fluctuate from place to place, he added.
Hamilton health officials say this city is not currently one of the severe flu pockets Butler-Jones mentioned, and that the public should remember most cases remain mild.
"There's always a risk of complications with influenza, but the vast majority of people who get it, get better without problems," said Dr. Chris Mackie, Hamilton's associate medical officer of health.
As of yesterday, Hamilton had 46 cases of H1N1 flu confirmed by lab testing and 44 others with symptoms assumed to be the same flu.
In Ottawa, Butler-Jones told a teleconference Canadian health officials are looking for answers to why otherwise healthy people would experience the severe version of the pandemic flu.
"We're trying to understand from a medical standpoint why they would be affected this way, and whether this is a signal that the virus itself is changing and becoming more virulent, or if there are other factors like immunity differences that could account for this."
Even with the emergence of severe pockets, though, basic infection control such as handwashing and staying at home when ill are the main bulwarks against swine flu.
He said people with chronic health problems or other risk factors, including pregnant women, should consider avoiding crowds during this outbreak.
While mothers-to-be are no more likely to contract the flu, they are at higher risk for complications if they do become ill.
Butler-Jones noted that given the low age level of this outbreak, with the average age under 20, parents may have questions about camps, day care and other activities.
The risk of picking up the illness at day care or day camps is generally low, about the risk seen recently in schools, he said. The risk may be slightly higher at residential camps where children live in closer and more prolonged proximity.
An ongoing national survey by researchers with St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton supports the age breakdown of this flu.
One in eight households surveyed in the latest poll, released yesterday, reported at least one family member with symptoms in the last two weeks, according to researchers who have tracked flu-like illness across Canada since October. Rates were highest in households with teenagers, at 27.9 per cent, compared with households without children, at 9.9 per cent.
"A month ago, we reported that flu-like illness rates were consistently declining across Canada since peaking in February," said Dr. Marek Smieja, the study's principal investigator at St. Joseph's.
":surrender:The surveys are conducted weekly by telephone with 1,000 households across Canada
Nothing is suggesting that this pandemic is going away...
Whatever tomorrow bring
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/591831
June 30, 2009
Joan Walters
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jun 30, 2009)
Canadian health officials are now tracking pockets of severe illness from the pandemic H1N1 influenza in healthy people with no underlying medical conditions.
"We are obviously concerned by these severe cases," said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer. "This pattern of more severe disease is something we've largely just seen over the last few weeks."
The majority of those who catch this flu are under 20, and "that appears to be where much of the spread is taking place." Few people over 65 are contracting the virus, opposite of what happens during regular flu season when seniors account for a quarter of cases.
As of Friday, Canada had 7,775 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus -- most of them mild -- with 21 deaths.
Butler-Jones said health officials are closely tracking the severe cases, although there was no clear information yesterday about geography or scope of the severe disease.
He said information is still being gathered on the number of cases where "an individual was previously healthy before catching this virus and rapidly has progressed to severe illness and requiring a ventilator."
The pockets of severe flu fluctuate from place to place, he added.
Hamilton health officials say this city is not currently one of the severe flu pockets Butler-Jones mentioned, and that the public should remember most cases remain mild.
"There's always a risk of complications with influenza, but the vast majority of people who get it, get better without problems," said Dr. Chris Mackie, Hamilton's associate medical officer of health.
As of yesterday, Hamilton had 46 cases of H1N1 flu confirmed by lab testing and 44 others with symptoms assumed to be the same flu.
In Ottawa, Butler-Jones told a teleconference Canadian health officials are looking for answers to why otherwise healthy people would experience the severe version of the pandemic flu.
"We're trying to understand from a medical standpoint why they would be affected this way, and whether this is a signal that the virus itself is changing and becoming more virulent, or if there are other factors like immunity differences that could account for this."
Even with the emergence of severe pockets, though, basic infection control such as handwashing and staying at home when ill are the main bulwarks against swine flu.
He said people with chronic health problems or other risk factors, including pregnant women, should consider avoiding crowds during this outbreak.
While mothers-to-be are no more likely to contract the flu, they are at higher risk for complications if they do become ill.
Butler-Jones noted that given the low age level of this outbreak, with the average age under 20, parents may have questions about camps, day care and other activities.
The risk of picking up the illness at day care or day camps is generally low, about the risk seen recently in schools, he said. The risk may be slightly higher at residential camps where children live in closer and more prolonged proximity.
An ongoing national survey by researchers with St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton supports the age breakdown of this flu.
One in eight households surveyed in the latest poll, released yesterday, reported at least one family member with symptoms in the last two weeks, according to researchers who have tracked flu-like illness across Canada since October. Rates were highest in households with teenagers, at 27.9 per cent, compared with households without children, at 9.9 per cent.
"A month ago, we reported that flu-like illness rates were consistently declining across Canada since peaking in February," said Dr. Marek Smieja, the study's principal investigator at St. Joseph's.
":surrender:The surveys are conducted weekly by telephone with 1,000 households across Canada
Nothing is suggesting that this pandemic is going away...
Whatever tomorrow bring
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/591831
