The World Health Organization’s decision to go to pandemic level six has not changed Manitoba’s current response to H1N1 flu. The amount and severity of disease in Manitoba will continue to guide the public health response.
Manitoba Health and Healthy Living is reporting 22 new confirmed cases of H1N1 flu, bringing the Manitoba total to 78 reported laboratory-confirmed cases. In the past 24 hours, there has been one additional patient admitted to an intensive-care unit in Manitoba.
All Manitobans are at risk for exposure to the virus and the possibility of severe illness has been highest for Aboriginal people and others with pre-existing health and living conditions.
In Manitoba, there has been no public health reason to close schools, community centres or other public gathering places or to avoid travel to any community. There is also no public health reason to exclude people from any public setting based on their ethnic background or home community. The same basic precautions are still the best defense against H1N1 influenza, no matter where you are or who you are with.
Manitoba continues to offer assistance in providing additional supplies for First Nations communities in the province. Manitoba Health and Healthy Living will also work with regional health authorities to conduct an on-site assessment in First Nations communities to ensure requirements are being met now and in the future. The provincial government has already distributed surgical masks, N95 respirators and anti-virals to meet the needs of First Nations peoples in Manitoba.
Manitoba is also working to respond to assist the federal government in providing more doctors and nurses in First Nations communities experiencing influenza outbreaks. There has already been additional physician coverage being provided in northern Manitoba. A meeting is being held today with various physicians’ and nurses’ and other health-care organizations to provide appropriate levels of health care in First Nations communities.
Central co-ordination of the air ambulance system has improved air ambulance traffic flows. The number of air ambulance calls is generally normal for this time of year.
The influenza outbreak is province-wide and more cases are expected in communities across Manitoba. Most Manitobans who have become ill have experienced relatively less-serious cases of influenza illness and have not required hospitalization.
