Concerns rise as more Alberta cases of H1N1 virus found

Susan Thompson
Express staff

The new flu virus popularly known as swine flu is raising concerns about a new world flu pandemic.

The H1N1 flu virus is a subtype of type A influenza and is believed to have originated in Mexico. It contains genetic material from birds, pigs and humans, meaning that humans have no existing immunities to the virus.

On April 29, the World Organization (WHO) raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from Phase 4 to Phase 5 in response to a recent outbreak of H1N1 flu infections in several countries. Phase 5 indicates a flu pandemic is imminent, but Phase 6 would signal an actual world flu pandemic.

“We remain at Phase 5. That is not changed,” Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, said in a press conference. “We continue to see human to human transmission, community-level transmission, primarily in North America. We are not seeing it yet anywhere else.”

At press time the WHO website listed 2,099 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection officially reported in 23 countries around the world, with 30 confirmed cases in Alberta. Three of those confirmed cases were in northern Alberta, one of which was apparently in the Peace River area, although Minister of Health Ron Leipert has refused to publicize the specific locations of the people infected.

“We are specifically not going to start to get into which communities,” Leipert said in a recent press conference. Public health officials will only identify cases by Edmonton, Calgary, northern and southern Alberta.

Symptoms of the new flu virus are the same as seasonal flu symptoms, and can include a fever, cough, runny nose or stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue or tiredness, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.

Symptoms of a more serious swine flu infection might include pneumonia and respiratory failure.

So far, all cases except one in Alberta have been described by officials as “mild”. A young girl had to be hospitalized in Edmonton for more severe symptoms, making her Canada’s first severe case of swine flu, but she has since been reported to be recovering. All deaths from the virus have so far occurred in Mexico. Authorities there recently ordered the most sweeping shutdown of public gathering places in a quarter century to try to contain the illness.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued travel notices and warnings regarding the flu, but no travel bans, and effective April 29, 2009, quarantine officers were stationed at all airports in Canada receiving direct flights from Mexico in order to assess sick passengers.

Meanwhile, several Alberta school boards have instituted travel bans on air and out-of-province travel even though health and government officials have said those actions are unnecessary. In northern Alberta the Parkland County Division and Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools now have bans affecting air and out-of-province travel, following suit after the public and Catholic boards in Edmonton announced their own restrictions. At press time the High Prairie School Division had not yet announced any plans to institute a similar ban.

Health care workers are also taking appropriate steps to protect themselves from the virus. According to a press release, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) has issued a Respiratory Control Fact Sheet to its close to 18,000 health care members employed in 200 disciplines, advising them to wear a properly approved and fit-tested respirator and to observe routine droplet/contact precautions.

H1N1 flu is transmitted like any other flu, through direct contact with the respiratory secretions of a person who has the flu, such as through coughing or sneezing. The spread of the flu can be limited by hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer, avoiding work and public places if you are sick with the flu, staying a metre away from sick people, and not touching your eyes, nose or mouth after handling door handles and other surfaces that may harbour the virus.

Despite some bans on pork imports already instituted by China and Russia, H1N1 flu is not transmitted by eating pork, prompting pork producers to ask that it not be referred to as “swine flu” since this raises unnecessary fears about the food supply.

However, provincial officials recently confirmed a pig herd in central Alberta was infected with the H1N1 virus in possibly the first case of human to pig transmission.

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Minister George Groeneveld said in a press conference authorities were notified on April 28 that some of the animals in the 2,200-animal herd had flu-like symptoms after being exposed to a sick farm worker returning from Mexico, causing the farm to be immediately quarantined.

If you suspect you or your child have the H1N1 flu, you should call Health Link for advice before visiting a health care provider’s office, drop-in clinic, or hospital emergency department. Those who have recently returned from Mexico or been in contact with someone who has recently been to Mexico should be particularly careful.

However, you should only call Health Link if you or your child are actually sick. The phone line has seen a surge in calls from people seeking information, and the province has promised to set up a separate phone line for people seeking information on the flu in order to help unclog the Health Link lines, although there are no details yet about when the new line will be available.

Treatment for the H1N1 flu is generally the same as for any flu, and includes staying home, resting, taking in extra fluids, taking non-prescription acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and fever, and using a humidifier to ease breathing. Antiviral medications such as Tamiflu are also effective if necessary.

If you are ill, call Health Link Alberta Toll-free at: 1-866-408-LINK (5465). Updates on H1N1 flu cases in Alberta are being posted regularly online to http://www.health.alberta.ca/health-info/influenza-H1N1.html.

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