Canada: Respiratory deaths at a Quebec City seniors home- four different viruses indentified

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Source: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2012/02/24/19420391.html

Mysterious deaths at Quebec seniors home
By Jean-Francois Racine and Stephanie Gendron, QMI Agency

RIVIERE-DU-LOUP, Que. ? At least eleven elderly people have died since December at a seniors home east of Quebec City, most killed by a mysterious respiratory virus...

...Four respiratory viruses, including flu-like influenza, have struck most of the residents and a health official says the outbreak has lasted longer than usual. "Currently, 85 of the 123 residents are affected," Brigitte Lavoie said. "Eleven died, but we can't say with certainty that this is directly related to the virus in all cases." Health officials speculate the culprit could be the human metapneumovirus, which can cause mild respiratory infections in healthy people....

 

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Re: Canada: Respiratory deaths at a Quebec City seniors home- virus unidentifed yet

Re: Canada: Respiratory deaths at a Quebec City seniors home- virus unidentifed yet

Hat-tip Diane Morin.

http://www.infodimanche.com/index.asp?s=detail_actualite&ID=144829

Published February 28th, 2012 at 1:07 p.m.
Updated February 28, 2012 at 13:35
16 deaths since December: CSSS an update



By Albert Hughes



Brigitte Lavoie accompanied by the Director General of the CSSS de Rivi?re-du-Loup, Daniel Levesque, at the press briefing Tuesday morning.
Photo: Albert Hughes
Riviere du Loup - We provided an update Tuesday morning on the situation in Shelter St. Joseph Rivi?re-du-Loup and the Foyer Saint-Antonin since December 12 last.

Note that since this date and time of this writing, no visitors are allowed in nursing homes because of the outbreak of the virus and that 14 residents died in Rivi?re-du-Loup and 2 at Foyer Saint-Antonin.

The executive director of the Center for Health and Social Services (CSSS), Daniel L?vesque and Director of Nursing, Brigitte Lavoie, explained the reasons for the establishment to reduce the maximum visits to control the spread of four viruses different metapneumovirus, coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Poor health

Ms. Lavoie and Mr. Levesque took care to point out that we could not establish cause and effect between the four live virus and 16 deaths to date.

"Residents of the hostel St. Joseph are older and often have poor health," explained Levesque. They are therefore more susceptible to these viruses. In addition, their immune system is less effective when it comes time to fight against these infections. "He added that with the exception of influenza, there is no specific treatment for the virus if the relief of symptoms, including fever.

To control the spread of viruses, since the first cases, the institution has implemented all recommendations from the 2011-2012 National Round Table on infectious diseases for influenza in nursing homes. And once the virus identified, these measures were enhanced depending on the characteristics of each.

"We asked the staff and visitors to wear masks, gloves and long sleeved gowns. We also ensured that our hygiene practices complied with the rules of art ", stated Brigitte Lavoie for his part.

Families are eager to see their families again but even if there is a significant decrease in the number of infected people, we must maintain the measures in place to achieve a risk of 0. "We ask families to be patient and comprehensive," concluded the Director General of the CSSS.