News Conference with Minister of Health and Chief Public Health Officer

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health

July 10, 2009 12:00 p.m. (EDT)

Good afternoon everyone and thank you again for participating in the opportunity to provide you with an update and provide you with an update on the H1N1 virus in Canada.  The federal, provincial and territorial governments continue to collaborate in the monitoring and surveillance of the H1N1 flu virus.  We continue to see new cases reported and although they are primarily mild cases we do have pockets of illnesses. 

We have to remain vigilant in our surveillance to learn more about why some areas are experiencing more severe outbreaks.  As we begin to focus on understanding more about the severe cases of H1N1, several provinces have changed their approach to the testing and reporting and are only now providing updates to the Public Health Agency of Canada once a week.

We are continuing to work with the provinces and territories to refine a reporting mechanism that provides Canadians and health authorities with the information they need on the outbreak of H1N1 flu.  I expect to have more information about that this next week.

The government of Canada is committed to ensuring people have the information they need to stay healthy.  I’m pleased to inform you that the Agency has released guidelines and information today that gives health professionals and expectant women facts they need about H1N1.  While pregnant women are at no greater risk of becoming infected with H1N1 virus, preliminary research shows that they are more likely to suffer severe illnesses and complications if they catch the virus.

Experts at the Public Health Agency of Canada have worked with provincial and territorial partners to develop clinical care guidelines that provide healthcare professionals with recommendations on how best to treat pregnant women.  Additionally the Agency has prepared a fact sheet providing mothers to be with the necessary information about how to avoid the flu and what to do if they do develop the symptoms.

Again, this fact sheet will be available on line and distributed through the community and health organizations used by pregnant women.  The fact sheet can also be found at the Agency’s website .  We will continue to implement the Canadian pandemic influenza plan in close collaboration and coordination with the provincial and territorial governments and with the World Health Organization and other international partners to address the situation.

We’ve already taken a proactive and comprehensive approach to this virus and we will continue.  Again working with the provinces and territories and the public health authorities across the country is key to the management of this outbreak and the degree of collaboration we’ve seen has been incredible.  I’d now like to turn over to the Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, who will provide more details about the guidelines and the fact sheets that we’ve released today.  Thank you.

Dr. David Butler-Jones

Chief Public Health Officer

 

Thank you Minister and thank you to those who have joined us today on this call.  To date the work done by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the provinces and territories on the case by case investigation has been critical in shaping our understanding of this disease.  Data collected so far indicates that the H1N1 flu virus in most cases is still behaving similarly to seasonal flu viruses.

We know now that the virus has spread to all provinces and territories, although it seems to be more concentrated in some regions.  While most cases are relatively mild, we have seen some pockets of more severe illness.  Research has also shown us that while pregnant women are not more likely to get H1N1, they are at greater risk for complications from the flu.

For pregnant women, severe complications from the flu could lead to early delivery or miscarriage.  Recognizing this, the Agency wants to provide pregnant women, their families, their health professionals and communities with the facts they need to make decisions that will help protect the health of both mother and child.

As you heard earlier from the Minister, these guidelines were released today and can be found on the Agency website and at www.fightflu.ca.  There are precautions that pregnant women can take to help maintain their health, like practicing basic infection control, avoiding large crowds and seeking medical attention if they begin to exhibit symptoms.

This is why it’s important for mothers to be to take the following steps to help protect their health.  These are basic guidelines that we advise all Canadians.  Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use a hand sanitizer regularly.  Cough and sneeze in your arm or sleeve, not your hand.  Keep common surfaces and items clean and disinfected.  Keep doing what you normally do but stay home and avoid others if you’re sick.  Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen, particularly if there is difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

It’s recommended that pregnant women be even more vigilant with hand washing and using a hand sanitizer.  Pregnant women should think about avoiding crowds but they can certainly continue normal activities, like going to work, shopping at the mall or attending worship services.  This pregnancy fact sheet also discusses when to seek help from a medical professional and what symptoms to be on the lookout for.

Additionally while the illness is relatively mild in most cases at this time, we are also paying close attention to severe cases of H1N1 that require hospitalization.  In collaboration with our partners, Frank’s National Microbiology Laboratory is involved in organizing and coordinating a national study of severe cases of H1N1.  The NML will partner with participating intensive care units across the country to try and answer the important questions of how and why severe pneumonia affects some patients with H1N1. 

Samples are already being collected for the study and results will be published in medical journals when the research is complete.  It will help to guide our actions and advice as we go forward.  This kind of information gathering is vital.  The more we know about this virus, the better prepared we are to respond.  Thank you.  Merci.