Influenza A H1N1 Update – May 21, 2009
Yesterday, Ottawa Public Health confirmed additional cases of the H1N1 influenza A virus, bringing the total of confirmed cases in the city to 13. The laboratory-confirmed Ottawa cases to date involved nine males and four females with an age range of less than one year to 54 years, with a median age of 20. The virus has been identified in both travellers to affected areas as well as people in our local community. Some of the persons affected have experienced severe symptoms and required hospitalization – none at The Ottawa Hospital. All patients are now recovering.
Many of you have been asking if and when Ontario public health officials would instruct hospital workers responsible for screening possible influenza A (H1N1) swine flu patients to drop a history of travel to Mexico, and to proceed simply on the basis of flu-like symptoms.
The Ministry of Health and Long-term Care confirmed this week that we will no longer be asking people about their travel history when being screened.
Updated guidance documents will be available on the InfoNet shortly. These include:
§Ambulatory Care Recommendations for H1N1
§Emergency Room Recommendations for H1N1
§H1N1 Flu Patient Fact Sheet
§Inpatient Recommendations for H1N1.
The regional hospitals group has developed practical guidelines for implementing the new provincial directions, and these were provided to and discussed with Clinical Directors today. Additional fit testing for ambulatory care areas has been underway since Wednesday, and we are working directly with the areas impacted to help with implementation.
Staff and physicians are reminded to continue to be vigilant in monitoring their own health. Stay home if you experience the following flu-like symptoms, and contact your manager and Occupational Health to report your illness.
Flu-like symptoms include:
§Fever
§Headache
§Severe fatigue
§Lack of appetite
§Coughing, and
§Sore throat
Yesterday, Ottawa Public Health confirmed additional cases of the H1N1 influenza A virus, bringing the total of confirmed cases in the city to 13. The laboratory-confirmed Ottawa cases to date involved nine males and four females with an age range of less than one year to 54 years, with a median age of 20. The virus has been identified in both travellers to affected areas as well as people in our local community. Some of the persons affected have experienced severe symptoms and required hospitalization – none at The Ottawa Hospital. All patients are now recovering.
Many of you have been asking if and when Ontario public health officials would instruct hospital workers responsible for screening possible influenza A (H1N1) swine flu patients to drop a history of travel to Mexico, and to proceed simply on the basis of flu-like symptoms.
The Ministry of Health and Long-term Care confirmed this week that we will no longer be asking people about their travel history when being screened.
Updated guidance documents will be available on the InfoNet shortly. These include:
§Ambulatory Care Recommendations for H1N1
§Emergency Room Recommendations for H1N1
§H1N1 Flu Patient Fact Sheet
§Inpatient Recommendations for H1N1.
The regional hospitals group has developed practical guidelines for implementing the new provincial directions, and these were provided to and discussed with Clinical Directors today. Additional fit testing for ambulatory care areas has been underway since Wednesday, and we are working directly with the areas impacted to help with implementation.
Staff and physicians are reminded to continue to be vigilant in monitoring their own health. Stay home if you experience the following flu-like symptoms, and contact your manager and Occupational Health to report your illness.
Flu-like symptoms include:
§Fever
§Headache
§Severe fatigue
§Lack of appetite
§Coughing, and
§Sore throat
