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The H1N1 virus in southeast Saskatchewan’s Sun Country Health Region is hitting hard at six area schools and is affecting a number of teenagers in 13 communities.

“We have 48 lab-confirmed cases,” said Dr. Shauna Hudson, the region’s medical health officer said Monday. “They’ve all been mild to moderate.

We’ve had three inpatients, but they’re all doing well.”

The average age of those with lab-confirmed cases of H1N1 is 17.9 years.

“Twenty-seven of them are under the age of 15,” Hudson said. “We have 11 towns and two cities that have cases now. We have six schools (Monday) in our health region that reported greater than 10 per cent absenteeism from illness.”

She did not have the names of the affected schools or communities on Monday. Any time a school reaches a 10-per-cent absenteeism rate due to illness, it notifies the health region.

The six schools reported an absenteeism rate 10 per cent or higher.

“Of course, that isn’t all ILI (influenza-like illness), but the majority is,” Hudson said.

On Friday, Sun Country reported 20 lab-confirmed cases of H1N1.

More than 7,800 students attend the division’s 39 schools, which are spread over a large geographical area that includes Weyburn, Rocanville, Carlyle, Carnduff, Estevan, Fillmore, Pangman, Radville, Ogema and Yellow Grass.

Health-care workers in Sun Country joined their counterparts in rural Saskatchewan to get their pandemic H1N1 vaccinations on Monday.

Regina health-care workers will have the opportunity to get their H1N1 shots beginning today at the city’s two hospitals, plus the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre and the former Robert Usher Collegiate.

Starting Nov. 2, depending on the availability of vaccine, regional health authorities will begin to deliver H1N1 vaccinations to at-risk populations — those with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, residents of remote and isolated communities, First Nations and Metis residents and children, six months to five years of age.

All Saskatchewan residents are encouraged to receive the H1N1 vaccinations when mass immunization clinics are available, starting in the week of Nov. 16.

The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the regular seasonal flu and include fever or shaking chills, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache and extreme tiredness.

Dr. Chris Vuksic, the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region’s senior medical officer, urges people with mild illness, such as fever and sore throat, to stay at home until they are symptom-free.

“There are some groups who need some special attention,” she said in a recent interview. “They may have a decrease in their immunity, they’re weak or frail or women who are pregnant. We suggest they seek medical attention somewhat earlier.”

Vuksic says people who are very lethargic, have a decreased level of consciousness or shortness of breath should seek immediate attention at an emergency department.

“We would actually encourage employers who have employees who aren’t overly sick not to seek medical attention for a doctor’s note,” she said. “That’s not going to be helpful for our system.”

People with mild symptoms or who want more information about the H1N1 influenza are encouraged to phone the HealthLine at 1-877-800-0002. The free, confidential, 24-hour health-advice telephone line is staffed by

registered nurses. The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region has increased staffing to HealthLine by one nurse and is in the process of hiring additional staff.

Beginning Nov. 2 and running to Nov. 6, public health nurses in the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region will begin vaccinating children six months to four years with an H1N1 shot. About mid-November, public clinics will open for all Saskatchewan residents.

“When that H1N1 vaccine becomes available to individuals, we absolutely endorse and recommend that our clients and patients receive the H1N1 vaccine,” Vuksic said.

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Saskatchewan has recorded its first case of H1N1 flu in 2011, the provincial government says.

The case was a young adult in the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region who is doing well and did not require hospitalization, the Health Ministry said in a news release Friday.

Confirmation of the first case of H1N1, sometimes known as swine flu, comes as overall flu numbers are rising in the province.

Most of the flu cases are the H3N2 strain.

Regardless of the strain, influenza is usually a mild to moderate illness in most people, the ministry said. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat and aches and pains.

The flu vaccine that's currently being distributed covers both H1N1 and H3N2, as well as a third strain.



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ShareThisReported By Samantha Maciag
Posted January 28, 2011 - 12:56pm
The flu that caused pandemic planning and general concern around the world in 2009 is back, but it's just one case of H1N1 here in Saskatchewan.

Only 15 per cent of flues across all of North America are the H1N1 strain and here in this province it's no cause for alarm.

"H1N1 is now one of the three seasonal strains that we will see for the next few years," said Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer.

The most common flu right now is H3N2 followed by Influenza B, both are seasonal strains. As of the end of Thursday, 50 people tested positive for H3N2 (also known as Influenza A), five people are positive with Influenza B and there's the single case of H1N1.

"Influenza comes, it peaks around February/March and it's looking like a regular flu season," said Shahab.

He adds the best defence is to get vaccinated. But, on the off chance someone does get the severe flu, two anti-virals have been temporarily added to the Saskatchewan Drug Plan -- oseltamivir and zanaroivir.

There's only been on flu outbreak so far, at a long-term care facility. Shahab says Sask Health will be monitoring care homes, day cares and schools closely through the flu season.

The one confirmed case of H1N1 was in the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region. Shahab says the young adult is doing well and didn't need to be hospitalized.

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Saskatchewan not expected to see a "flunami" like Ontario

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ShareThisReported By Natalie Geddes
Posted January 18, 2011 - 7:43am
The flu is starting to make its way around Saskatchewan with over a dozen cases being confirmed in the province over the last few weeks.

The province's deputy chief medical officer Dr. Saqib Shahab expects the season will peak by late January or early February.

The doctor says cases have been scattered across the southern parts of the province. They’ve seen roughly a dozen cases of influenza A and half a dozen cases influenza B.

What will make this a different season from last year is that so far the ministry of health hasn’t detected any cases of H1N1, also known as “swine” flu H1N1, made up the majority of Saskatcehwan’s influenza cases in 2010.

As for severity of the season, Dr. Shahab doesn’t think it will be as bad as the “flunami” currently sweeping through Ontario. The early signs in Saskatchewan point to a pretty typical flu season.

(Photo is of Dr. Saqib Shahab taken by News Talk Radio's Patrick Book on Jan. 13, 2010.)

http://www.newstalk650.com/story/20110118/45789

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REGINA — The Ministry of Health is reminding residents to roll up their sleeves for their flu shots as the seasonal influenza takes aim at Saskatchewan.

The province's first case of H1N1 has been confirmed, along with a rising number of seasonal influenza cases.

Lab tests confirmed a young adult in the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region has H1N1, though the individual didn't require hospitalization and is doing well.

Dr. Saqib Shahab, deputy medical health officer for Saskatchewan, said the H1N1 virus was among about 50 influenza cases reported as of Thursday, but there's no need for alarm.

"H1N1 is now one of the three seasonal strains that we will see for the next few years," he said.

Shahab said about 15 per cent of the influenza circulating in North America is H1N1, but the most prevalent strain in Saskatchewan is the seasonal H3N2.

"A couple of weeks back, we saw sporadic cases; now we're seeing the number of cases increase, day by day," Shahab said.

He urges residents to get their flu vaccine, which protects against all three strains of influenza circulating in the province.

"It's the perfect match between the strains that are going around and the vaccine," said Shahab.

He said residents who have been vaccinated are well protected against the seasonal influenza.

He urges those who have not yet received the vaccine to contact their local public health office to book an appointment for a shot. Beginning in October, flu shots were made available free of charge to Saskatchewan residents.

"We've seen a higher uptake than what we saw in 2008, for example," Shahab said.

Protecting against influenza is especially important for people either older than 65 or under five years old, as well as those who are pregnant or have underlying health conditions.

"Looking at the data in Europe and Britain, most of the people who got seriously ill this year from H1N1 were people who didn't get vaccinated," Shahab said. "What we're expecting is that if you got vaccinated or you got exposed to H1N1 in the last couple of years, the H1N1 virus is going to behave like a normal seasonal strain. The reason that we called H1N1 a pandemic two years ago was because most of the population was not exposed to this."

Regardless of the strain, influenza is generally a mild or moderate illness and can cause symptoms like a fever, sore throat, cough, aches and pains.

"You feel pretty lousy," Shahab said. "All of the three strains pretty much give you the same symptoms."

The remedy is to rest at home and treat the symptoms. Most people recover in two or three days. Anyone who gets progressively worse and experiences shortness of breath, wheezing, drowsiness or worsening of underlying health conditions should seek medical care, Shahab said.

Serious cases are treated with anti-viral medication.

Shahab asks the public to remember last year's infection-control lessons: cough in your sleeve, wash your hands often, and if you're ill with fever, vomiting or diarrhea, stay home or keep your child home until they are well.

"We're quite positive that we'll see, at most, a regular flu season," Shahab said.

More information is also available by calling HealthLine at 1-877-800-0002 or by visiting (www.healthlineonline.ca).

pcowan@leaderpost.com



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