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Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/More+serious+H1N1+swine+case+emerges+Saskatchewan/1691104/story.html
More serious H1N1 (swine) flu case emerges in Saskatchewan
By Anne Kyle, Leader-PostJune 12, 2009 6:03 PM
REGINA -- Saskatchewan has reported its first case of H1N1 influenza that was serious enough to require hospitalization.
?I have been advised informally that a young person in the Regina Qu?Appelle Health Region, a man in his 20s has been hospitalized (with the H1N1 virus),?? Saskatchewan?s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Moira McKinnon said Thursday.
RQHR deputy medical health officer Dr. Maurice Hennick confirmed a patient suffering from a severe case of the H1N1 virus was hospitalized in one of the region?s rural hospitals in the last couple of days. The patient is being treated and is currently being assessed to determine whether he should be transferred to a Regina hospital for more intensive care.
?In the last few weeks we have certainly seen H1N1 circulating in the general community. We have seen elsewhere that when this happens that hospitalizations are to be expected,?? Hennick said.
The region?s emergency departments have treated H1N1 patients for mild dehydration and then sent them home, and have admitted patients for other reasons who have tested positive for H1N1, but this is the first case admitted to hospital for treatment.
But McKinnon and Hennick are asking anyone with mild flu-like symptoms not to go to their hospital?s emergency department or to their doctor for testing.
?People with mild illnesses should stay at home and only visit the emergency room or their doctors if their symptoms worsen,?? McKinnon said.
Family doctors have also been told not to order testing for mild H1N1 cases because the provincial laboratory is being inundated causing a backlog in processing test results in more severe cases.
?Nothing much is changing for the general population. But we are concerned about northern communities so we are trying to increase our surveillance and testing in the north,?? McKinnon said, referring to the outbreak in northern Manitoba, the hardest hit area in that province.
?We our prioritizing testing for those who are hospitalized and for communities along the northern and central border of Manitoba and for those who have chronic illness and are at risk of complications.??
Meanwhile the RCMP Academy Depot Division is doing its part to keep the H1N1 outbreak at the training academy in check. Three cadets tested positive and 19 others have flu-like symptom ? all 22 were placed in isolation.
?We believe it is responsible for us to contain this as much as we can and not run the risk of having the infection spread out to the community,?? said Assistant Commissioner Roger Brown, said, Depot Division commanding officer.
While public access to the base has been restricted and infection control protocol instituted, Brown said graduation ceremonies for Troop 42 will go ahead on Monday.
?A lot of the families are actually en route or here so to cancel it would be somewhat irresponsible. However, we have curtailed a lot of the activities,?? he said, explaining the families and the graduating cadets will isolated from the rest of the cadet population.
The approximately 800 cadets at the academy are also being encouraged to voluntarily curtail their off-base activities until the outbreak is contained, he said.
Meanwhile Moose Jaw?s Valley View Centre ? a care facility for people with intellectual disabilities ? is also restricting visitors after five residents tested positive for the H1N1 virus since June 1 and a number of its 239 residents and 21 staff developed flu-like symptoms.
While the virus has been relatively mild, McKinnon said the Public Health Agency of Canada has asked all of to plan for a universal H1N1 vaccination program in November to protect residence against the resurgence of a more virulent strain.
akyle@leaderpost.canwest.com
More serious H1N1 (swine) flu case emerges in Saskatchewan
By Anne Kyle, Leader-PostJune 12, 2009 6:03 PM
REGINA -- Saskatchewan has reported its first case of H1N1 influenza that was serious enough to require hospitalization.
?I have been advised informally that a young person in the Regina Qu?Appelle Health Region, a man in his 20s has been hospitalized (with the H1N1 virus),?? Saskatchewan?s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Moira McKinnon said Thursday.
RQHR deputy medical health officer Dr. Maurice Hennick confirmed a patient suffering from a severe case of the H1N1 virus was hospitalized in one of the region?s rural hospitals in the last couple of days. The patient is being treated and is currently being assessed to determine whether he should be transferred to a Regina hospital for more intensive care.
?In the last few weeks we have certainly seen H1N1 circulating in the general community. We have seen elsewhere that when this happens that hospitalizations are to be expected,?? Hennick said.
The region?s emergency departments have treated H1N1 patients for mild dehydration and then sent them home, and have admitted patients for other reasons who have tested positive for H1N1, but this is the first case admitted to hospital for treatment.
But McKinnon and Hennick are asking anyone with mild flu-like symptoms not to go to their hospital?s emergency department or to their doctor for testing.
?People with mild illnesses should stay at home and only visit the emergency room or their doctors if their symptoms worsen,?? McKinnon said.
Family doctors have also been told not to order testing for mild H1N1 cases because the provincial laboratory is being inundated causing a backlog in processing test results in more severe cases.
?Nothing much is changing for the general population. But we are concerned about northern communities so we are trying to increase our surveillance and testing in the north,?? McKinnon said, referring to the outbreak in northern Manitoba, the hardest hit area in that province.
?We our prioritizing testing for those who are hospitalized and for communities along the northern and central border of Manitoba and for those who have chronic illness and are at risk of complications.??
Meanwhile the RCMP Academy Depot Division is doing its part to keep the H1N1 outbreak at the training academy in check. Three cadets tested positive and 19 others have flu-like symptom ? all 22 were placed in isolation.
?We believe it is responsible for us to contain this as much as we can and not run the risk of having the infection spread out to the community,?? said Assistant Commissioner Roger Brown, said, Depot Division commanding officer.
While public access to the base has been restricted and infection control protocol instituted, Brown said graduation ceremonies for Troop 42 will go ahead on Monday.
?A lot of the families are actually en route or here so to cancel it would be somewhat irresponsible. However, we have curtailed a lot of the activities,?? he said, explaining the families and the graduating cadets will isolated from the rest of the cadet population.
The approximately 800 cadets at the academy are also being encouraged to voluntarily curtail their off-base activities until the outbreak is contained, he said.
Meanwhile Moose Jaw?s Valley View Centre ? a care facility for people with intellectual disabilities ? is also restricting visitors after five residents tested positive for the H1N1 virus since June 1 and a number of its 239 residents and 21 staff developed flu-like symptoms.
While the virus has been relatively mild, McKinnon said the Public Health Agency of Canada has asked all of to plan for a universal H1N1 vaccination program in November to protect residence against the resurgence of a more virulent strain.
akyle@leaderpost.canwest.com