Text Equivalent - Figure 1. Process for national and international public health notifications for emerging respiratory pathogens
Figure 1 is a flowchart depicting the activities carried out by laboratories, provincial and territorial public health authorities and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
- A case meets the Person Under Investigation definition.
- Notify local public health.
- Specimen is collected.
- Sample is sent to the provincial laboratory.
- Notify local public health, with information on the case exchanged between the provincial laboratory and local public health as needed.
- The Provincial Laboratory conducts tests for emerging respiratory pathogens, which may be reported on the Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network.
If the specimen is positive:
- Provincial laboratory alerts the public health authority, and the result and specimen(s) are sent to the National Microbiological Laboratory (NML) for confirmatory testing. The Provincial Laboratory will work with NML to ship the sample to NML as soon as possible.
- The Provincial/Territorial Public Health Authority sends the “Emerging respiratory pathogen and SARI” Case report form to PHAC within 24 hours of notification to the province/territory.
- NML conducts confirmatory test.
If confirmed positive:
- NML relays the result to the provincial laboratory, and the provincial laboratory will relay the result to the provincial health authority and the requesting physician.
- The positive result is added to the Severe Acute Respiratory Illness Case Report form by the Provincial/Territorial Public Health Authority.
Once notification has been received by PHAC:
- If the pathogen is MERS-CoV or other respiratory virus (not H7N9), PHAC will conduct a risk assessment within 48 hours, done collaboratively with provinces and territories.
- The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) will notify the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) via the International Health Regulation National Focal Point within 24 hours of national notification for H7N9, or within 24 hours of national notification of completing the risk assessment (if criteria met) for MERS-CoV or other respiratory virus.
- USA and Mexico will also be notified as part the North American Plan for Animal and Pandemic Influenza
Return to Figure 1