Canadian FluWatch (seasonal flu)

[Niko]

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fluwatch/index.html


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About FluWatch

FluWatch, Canada's national influenza surveillance system, is coordinated through the Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control at the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The program, which began in 1996, provides a national picture of influenza activity and has the following primary objectives:

• early detection of influenza activity in Canada;
• provision of timely and up-to-date information on influenza activity in Canada and abroad to professionals as well as the public;
• monitoring of circulating strains of influenza virus, including new sub-types and antiviral resistance;
• contribution of virological surveillance information to the World Health Organization (WHO) to assist with decision-making for the following season's vaccine components.

FluWatch Indicators

Data and information from various sources are collected in order to meet the objectives of the FluWatch program. These indicators of influenza activity are reported year round on a weekly basis to the FluWatch program and include:

• laboratory-based influenza and other respiratory virus detections from sentinel laboratories across Canada;
• strain identification and antiviral resistance for circulating influenza viruses from the National Microbiology Laboratory;
• influenza-like illness (ILI) primary care consultation rates from sentinel practitioners across Canada;
• regional influenza activity levels as assigned by provincial and territorial FluWatch representatives;
• paediatric influenza-associated hospital admissions and mortality data through the Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive (IMPACT)*.
  

(*Only reported to FluWatch during the influenza season.)
FluWatch Reports

FluWatch disseminates information through weekly reports during the active influenza season and biweekly reports during the low season (mid-May to September). Reports are published on Fridays and are available to health professionals and the public through a variety of media, including fax, e-mail and this Web site.
FluWatch Partners

Influenza surveillance is a collaborative effort between provincial and territorial ministries of health, participating laboratories, The College of Family Physicians of Canada-National Research System (NaReS), sentinel practitioners, tertiary care paediatric hospitals through the IMPACT program, the National Microbiology Laboratory and the Immunization and Respiratory Infections Division (IRID) at the Public Health Agency of Canada.

 

[Niko]

Re: Canadian FluWatch (seasonal flu)

Quebec braces for rough flu season

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 | 4:34 PM ET

CBC News


Quebec Health Minister Philippe Couillard is warning flu season will likely hit the province hard, and he has no magic solutions to avoid overcrowding in hospital emergency rooms.

But Couillard also predicts ER overcrowding won't be as bad as it was a year ago, when the province was hit by a rash of gastroenteritis, lung infections, and influenza.

Measures are being taken to move patients with non-acute conditions out of emergency rooms, to make way for the arrival of the flu, he said.

"Until now, it is pretty quiet, but it will come," he warned on Wednesday. "It's not a question of 'if.' It will come — probably in two weeks, or three weeks — we don't know."

The province has also set aside extra money to increase intensive home care during the flu season, Couillard said.

Public health officials in Montreal said they still have influenza vaccines in stock and there is enough time left before the flu season peaks to get protected.

"The fact that the peak isn't expected until February means you still have enough time to develop protection at that peak period," explained Dr. Terry Tannenbaum, of the Public Public Health Department.

The elderly, children and people with chronic conditions or illnesses are urged to get a flu shot.
About 1,500 people in Quebec die every year of influenza-related illnesses, according to public health records.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/01/23/qc-fluseason0123.html?ref=rss