Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/prog ... 110122.pdf

There have been 62 deaths in Ontario as of Week 3.

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I used to think I had to understand in order to believe, but then I realized that I had to believe in order to understand. - Augustine

This is a follow up to a post made in Dec/10.

http://www.therecord.com/news/local/art ... plications

EASTWOOD — A Woodstock-area woman who became critically ill with influenza while in Mexico over the holidays has died.

Lynda Young was at University Hospital in London, Ont., after being transferred there by air ambulance from a Puerto Vallarta hospital about a week ago. Young, 50, had the H1N1 flu virus which became a serious lung infection just days after she and partner Su Lyttle arrived in Mexico for a Christmas break.

While in the Mexican hospital, she was put on a ventilator and doctors induced a coma because her coughing was so severe. She remained on the ventilator after arriving back in Canada.

Young stopped breathing late Wednesday night.

“It was as peaceful as it could have been,” said Lyttle, who works at Conestoga College.

Funeral arrangements are being made in Woodstock.

Lyttle described Young as a strong, determined woman who cared deeply about others. They were together for 14 years.

“She was known for her compassion. She was always helping people,” Lyttle said.

Young was the clinical manager at a Brantford counselling centre and had a private Woodstock counselling practice.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in social development studies at the University of Waterloo while raising five young daughters as a single mother. Later she got her master’s degree in social work and was planning to pursue a PhD at Laurier.

Young was always reading and couldn’t be dissuaded from packing a book for the Eastwood couple’s Mexican vacation, despite their agreement to enjoy a quiet trip without any distractions.

“We have more books in this house than some libraries, I think,” Lyttle said. “Her without a book really wasn’t her.”

Young was born in Dublin, Ireland, and recently travelled back there to reconnect with her Irish roots.

“She’s a beautiful person,” Lyttle said. “She spent her life helping other people.”

A few fundraisers are being held in Kitchener and Woodstock to help with the bills from Young’s medical treatment in Mexico. Lyttle’s insurance covers 85 per cent, but that leaves about $70,000 from a bill reaching at least $465,000.

A Celtic celebration will be held in Woodstock on Feb. 18, starting at 7:30 p.m. It includes music by Ted Comiskey and Friends and Joslyn Currie, a silent auction and cash bar and food. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. They’re available at Party Central at 379 Springbank Ave. N. in Woodstock, 519-421-1341.

An indoor garage sale will be held at Conestoga College on March 29 and 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Anyone wishing to donate items or a storage bin can email sdenhaan-cc@conestogac.on.ca. Another fundraiser is being organized at a Kitchener café, but details are not settled.

A trust account has been set up for Young through TD Canada Trust. The account number is 227 6318478. Cheques can be made out to Brenda Boswell Simpson and Tom Simpson in trust.

Severe Flu ramping up in nova Scotia
Most of this is from the perspective of Capre breton but provincially there were 10 out of 19 test who were hospitalized. I thought that reference was in this article but i don't see it. I'll look for it or repost newest provincial stats when I see them.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2011/02/ ... shots.html

Health officials in Nova Scotia are urging more people to get the flu shot.

The flu is not widespread, but those who have it, have been hit hard.

The medical officer of health in Cape Breton said they are not seeing much in schools or workplaces or even emergency rooms yet, but the few cases that are showing up are severe.

"The severity at the very beginning right now, which is almost unheard of around here to see so many people, relatively healthy people on ventilators, and quite ill," said Dr. Andrew Lynk.

Lynk said there are four cases.

Two are so serious, they had to be transferred to the QE II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

One remains on a ventilator in Sydney.

One is now feeling well enough to be sent home.

None of the four had gotten this year's flu shot. They range in age, from twenties to fifties.

"It may be an unhappy coincidence and it may not mean anything, but we are concerned about it. we haven't seen this before so early and so intense, so we don't know how to explain it yet," said Lynk.

Pharmacies in Cape Breton aren't seeing many people looking for flu medicine either.

"Usually around this time of year though there tends to be a little bit, but I just haven't seen anything yet so, hopefully we'll get through the season without too much," said Sheila Kyte, a pharmacist in Membertou.

Lynk said if the severity of the few early cases is any indication, hospitals could get swamped if more people do not get the shot.

The shot is free and readily available at doctors and public health offices.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2011/02/ ... z1D18z2WuJ

http://www.canada.com/Cowichan+mourns+d ... story.html

pneumonia - doesn't mention flu

Canada - BC

Cowichan mourns death of respected former Chief Modeste

A champion of the Cowichan culture was lost on Tuesday night with the passing of former Cowichan Tribes Chief Wes Modeste.

Modeste, who served as chief in the mid-1970's and was a councillor for several terms throughout the 1970s and 1990s, died at the Cowichan District Hospital. He had been scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday but came down with pneumonia and passed away before it could happen.

More details at the link. Seems like pH1N1 is declining. In week 04, detections of pandemic H1N1 2009 represented 12.6% of all subtyped influenza A specimens, a slight decrease from 16.9% in week 03.

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fluwatch/10- ... ex-eng.php

Summary of FluWatch Findings for the Week ending January 29, 2011

* Overall influenza detections appear to have peaked, with most regions across the country continuing to show a decline in the percentage of positive influenza detections, with the exception of the Atlantic provinces. Other indicators of influenza activity have either decreased or remained similar to the previous week.
* Since the beginning of the season, 88.9% of the subtyped positive influenza A specimens were influenza A/H3N2.In week 04, detections of pandemic H1N1 2009 decreased slightly as a proportion of subtyped influenza A specimens, while influenza B virus detections increased slightly. The proportion of positive tests for RSV continued to increase.

Health officials in Cape Breton are asking the public to guard against what appears to be a serious strain of the flu.

Three middle-aged adults are so sick they’re on ventilators.

The three have tested positive for the H1N1 strain.

Dr. Andrew Lynk, Cape Breton district health authority’s medical officer of health, said the severity of the cases is unusual, especially early in the flu season.

Flu-like symptoms were first reported in the district around Christmas. Lynk says they are just starting to see a rise in the number of cases.

Hospitals in the Halifax region aren’t seeing such severe cases.

Nobody has been admitted to intensive care with the flu, Capital Health spokeswoman Susan MacLeod said Monday.

"We have had very, very little flu activity coming into the hospitals," she said.

There were 19 lab-confirmed cases of the flu in Nova Scotia as of Jan. 31, according to the Health and Wellness Department.

While H1N1 has led to the hospitalizations, most of the cases have been identified as the H3N2 strain. H3N2 affects all age groups but younger people — particularly from under one year to 19 — are more susceptible to H1N1.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1226609.html

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www.twitter.com/hniman

There's something ripsnorting it's way through my kids' school in Halifax. Took out 30/37 kids in my younger daughter's grade most of who had attended a party together over the weekend. And now the older kids and parents are getting it. It's been called a stomach flu and definitely has gastro symptoms but it also seems to have flu symptoms. Both of my daughters had sore throats and headaches, and my young daughter had a fever of 103. She and I also had a distinctive black-brown purple tongue. It seems to move fast for most kids, but some have been sick for awhile.

I have seen several anectdotal reports of severe gastro problems linked to H1N1. Hope all recover soon. Did any have H1N1 last season?

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www.twitter.com/hniman

More details at the link.

http://origin.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fluwatch/ ... ex-eng.php

Summary of FluWatch Findings for the Week ending February 5, 2011

* Several regions across the country continue to report localized influenza activity. The percentage of positive influenza detections overall increased slightly in week 05, due to an increase in influenza detections in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces. Other indicators of influenza activity remained similar to the previous week.
* Since the beginning of the season, 88.0% of the subtyped positive influenza A specimens were influenza A/H3N2.In week 05, detections of both pandemic H1N1 2009 and influenza type B increased as a proportion of influenza positive specimens compared to week 04. The proportion of positive tests for RSV continued to increase.