News Conference with Minister of Health and Chief Public Health Officer

The Honourable Minister of Health, Leona Aglukkaq
April 26, 2009

Thank you.

Good afternoon everyone, and thank you for being here today.

As I promised to you on Friday, we are sharing new information with Canadians as it becomes available with regard to the human swine influenza situation.

As you now know, there are 6 confirmed cases of human swine influenza in Canada. There are 4 in Nova Scotia and 2 in British Columbia. The human swine influenza symptoms in Canada have thankfully been relatively mild and the patients are recovering. These are Canada's first confirmed cases, but as we continue to ramp up our surveillance efforts, these cases are likely not the last we will see in Canada.

Before I go any further, I want to reassure all Canadians that we are following the plans and the protocols that we have prepared in advance for an event like this. We will continue to take whatever actions are necessary to protect Canadians and their families. Enhancing Canada's ability to respond to these kinds of public health events has been a priority for our government.

Sharing information quickly and accurately is absolutely essential in times like these and governments across the country are working together to protect the health and safety of Canadians.

As Canada's Minister of Health, I have taken a number of actions since my statement on Friday.

First, I have spoken with my provincial and territorial counterparts across Canada and provided them with updates on the situation.

Second, I have had ongoing contact with my counterpart in the United States and the Director General of the World Health Organization.

Third, I have directed the Public Health Agency of Canada to alert the provinces and territories, labs, border services and quarantine officers. I have also asked that the Public Health Agency continue working closely with it's international partners.

Fourth, we are working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Public Safety, Citizenship and Immigration. and Transportation to ensure a coordinated response on behalf of the Government of Canada.

And finally, my office has engaged with other Parliamentarians including my opposition critics to provide them with regular updates.

The public health and wellbeing of Canadians is of paramount importance and all parliamentarians must work together on this issue. I spoke with the Prime Minister earlier this afternoon, and I can tell you, he will continue to be briefed regularly on this situation as it progresses.

People right now want to know: what can I do to protect myself and my family?

We are all in this together and we can each take important but very simple precautions to prevent the spread of this illness.

First, if you have recently travelled to Mexico, and have flu-like symptoms, please consult a health professional.

Second, everyone should be washing their hands regularly and covering up when coughing and or sneezing.

Third, if you are ill, please stay home and contact your doctor.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has been working closely with it's Canadian and international partners and will continue to do so. And, as I said earlier, we will not hesitate in sharing any new information with Canadians as it becomes available.

Now, I would like to ask Dr. Butler-Jones to provide further technical details. Thank you.

 

Dr. David Butler-Jones, Chief Public Health Officer
April 26, 2009

Thank you Minister. Thank you all for being here today.

To reiterate, the Public Health Agency's National Microbiology Laboratory has confirmed 4 positive cases of H1N1 human swine influenza in Nova Scotia and the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control has also confirmed two cases involving the same virus in British Columbia.

The symptoms in all cases were mild. These were not severe respiratory illnesses. All have recovered and appear to be doing well. And for this we are all very thankful.

To have our first confirmed cases is of course troubling. I know that the general public right now is probably very concerned. But as the Minister said, we have been and have continued to be prepared for this. These are likely not the last cases we will see in Canada.

The SARS outbreak in 2003 changed how we approach these things and the Public Health Agency of Canada was created in large part to deal with these issues -- particularly new and emerging infectious diseases.

We have plans in place and we are following them. Our National Microbiology Lab and Emergency Operations Centre are fully engaged. The Public Health Agency is doing vaccine research, constant surveillance and monitoring of the disease's spread and we are developing guidelines for local health authorities, health care providers, and institutions.

We have also just seen the US declare a public health emergency in response to the increased number of cases that they have been finding. Now let's be clear, this does not suggest that people are in greater danger. The declaration is precautionary and part of a normal course of action that facilitates federal and state access to some measures -- like flu tests and medicines.

For all our parts, sharing information quickly and accurately is absolutely key. The Minister has been speaking with her counterparts in the provinces and territories, as well as internationally, and I have been speaking also with my counterparts throughout the world. I am leading regular teleconferences with the provincial and territorial Chief Medical Officers of Health, and I am in regular contact with Deputy Ministers across the country.

The Agency has alerted other government partners, lab networks and quarantine officers. We have asked public health officials and health professionals to be vigilant and report anyone showing influenza-like symptoms.

I want to emphasize that while the symptoms we have seen in Canada are relatively mild, it is important that people continue to protect themselves.

The most important thing every Canadian can do right now is to practice good basic flu prevention techniques.

Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water, and if you can't, use a hand sanitiser.

Cough and sneeze into your arm or sleeve.

Keep doing what you normally do, but stay home if you are sick and avoid others.

Get your annual flu shot.

Check www.fightflu.ca for more information or www.voyage.gc.ca for travel information.

Talk to a health professional if you experience severe flu-like symptoms.

A public information line is available 7 days per week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern standard time and you can reach it at 1 800 O-Canada, that's 1 800 O-Canada.

I recognize that the public will want more and more information, and that is absolutely natural and understandable - as do we -  and we are doing our best to provide updates regularly and in a variety of ways.

And we will continue to seek information and answers, testing, doing the analysis, sharing results, but it does take time, so we do ask for your patience.

So I thank you, merci and I welcome your questions.