Canada ups effort to prepare for bird flu pandemic

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Canada ups effort to prepare for bird flu pandemic
Sun May 14, 2006 7:37 AM IST
By Rachelle Younglai
http://in.today.reuters.com/news/ne...R_RTRJONC_0_India-249133-1.xml&archived=False


TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada is stepping up efforts to prepare for a potential bird flu pandemic, health officials said on Saturday, as a new outbreak of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus in poultry was discovered in Romania.

Canada's plans include boosting its stockpile of antiviral drugs to 55 million doses from 16 million doses by about mid-2007 and sharing of resources and supplies among provinces in a public health emergency.

"Our strategy when it comes to antivirals is, whoever needs it gets it and there will be enough for every single Canadian who needs treatment," Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement said after a conference with health ministers from the provinces and territories.

"Today we took concrete steps forward in our efforts to protect Canadians in the event of a pandemic or an outbreak of avian influenza," he said in a statement.

The H5N1 avian influenza has spread to more than 40 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, killing over 100 people, and raising concerns tens of millions of people could sicken and die if it mutates to pass easily from person to person.

Since a 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, which infected hundreds and killed 44 in Toronto, Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working together to on the country's capacity to respond to health threats.

 

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Everyone will get flu drugs, says health minister
Clement vows to boost stock of antivirals for pandemic treatment

Federal Health Minister Tony Clement
Photograph by : CanWest News Service

Lee Greenberg, The Ottawa Citizen; with files from The Canadian Press and Citizen News Services
Published: Sunday, May 14, 2006


TORONTO - Canada will more than triple its stockpile of antiviral medications used to lessen the impact of a flu pandemic, Canada's health ministers announced yesterday after a day-long meeting in Toronto to address the country's emergency preparedness.

Federal Health Minister Tony Clement said the beefed-up levels will leave authorities with enough medication to treat all Canadians who become ill during a pandemic.

"To put it in plain words, our strategy when it comes to antivirals is whoever needs it, gets it," he said. "There will be enough for every single Canadian who needs treatment."

Authorities will work toward stockpiling 55 million doses of antivirals, up from the previous target of 16 million, officials announced yesterday.

Mr. Clement said the higher levels, which he described as an "uptick," were designed to meet the World Health Organization's recommended target of covering at least 20 per cent of the country's population.

"We have a unique ability in Canada to cover the entire Canadian population once a vaccine is developed," said Mr. Clement, who served as Ontario's health minister during the 2003 SARS crisis, which killed 44 people.

"You have to wait until the mutation has occurred and the pandemic is in the human population before you can really finalize your vaccine. So we have enough antivirals in place to bridge the gap between the start of a human form of influenza or another form of pandemic and the development of the vaccine."

Antivirals are used for the prevention and early treatment of influenza. If taken within 48 hours of getting sick, they can reduce influenza symptoms, shorten the length of illness and potentially reduce serious complications. Unlike vaccines, antivirals only hinder the virus's ability to reproduce and do not provide immunity against it.

Scientists believe a global flu pandemic -- sparked by a new influenza virus against which humans have little or no immunity -- could break out at any time. However, experts are divided on the threats posed by an outbreak.

The most extreme estimates put the number of dead as high as 150 million worldwide. Others believe only several thousand would die.

Dr. John Blatherwick, Chief Medical Health Officer with the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, earlier this week questioned the amount of funding and planning being earmarked for a pandemic. Dr. Blatherwick, who is skeptical that a pandemic is imminent, told delegates at a disaster forum in Banff that the threat of avian flu is low and there has not yet been a case of it being directly transmitted from person to person.

The virulent H5N1 strain of avian flu that is spreading among birds does not easily infect humans, but it has killed an estimated 113 people. Experts fear it will mutate into a form that spreads easily and quickly among people, at which point an outbreak would be unstoppable, according to some.

Yesterday's meeting between provincial and territorial health ministers was Mr. Clement's first since assuming the portfolio in February.

Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer, says the country is on the right track in developing its pandemic strategy.

"Pandemics, infectious diseases, are always full of surprises," Dr. Butler-Jones said following the meeting. "All emergencies are messy, but if we can reduce the length and the severity of the mess we're all better off," he said.

The Conservative government committed up to $1 billion over the next five years for pandemic preparedness in the recent federal budget.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2006