Saturday 18 January 2014

Canadian H1N1 Statistics: confirmed cases, hospitalisations, deaths

I've been following the statistics.
Week 2 are the most recent. FluWatch keeps stats weekly.
They say the worst of it has passed.
  • To date this season, 2,298 influenza-associated hospitalizations and 113 deaths have been reported by participating provinces and territories.

According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (Jan. 14/14):

DOI:10.1503/cmaj.109-4701

The worrisome factor at this point "is the reported mortality rate in Alberta," says Dr. Pierre Lebel, an infectious disease specialist at the McGill University Health Centre in Montréal, Que. As of Jan. 13, there were 10 confirmed deaths in Alberta attributed to type A (H1N1) influenza, as well as 1 in British Columbia, 6 in Saskatchewan, 6 in Ontario, 1 in Quebec and 2 in Nova Scotia.

The CMA tells us that while H1N1 has shown up in Canada again, it's no where near what it was in 2009. Normally, seasonal flu will strike 20,000 who must go into hospital. Normally, between 4,000 and 8,000 people die each year from flu. So far, this season,
"Since the start of the 2013-14 season to January 4, 2014, 33 deaths have been reported from participating provinces and territories: three cases under 20 years of age and thirty cases 20 years of age or older."
It's really difficult to find up-to-date info, with FluWatch.ca being at least a week behind.
The reports of deaths (text vs. graph) from influenza are contradicted on its site:
Graphs of flu deaths over time

Total deaths 317?

After killing 248,000 people worldwide in 2009, this year (2013/14) Europe is seeing H3N2 as predominant. There are many mysteries around influenza.

It's very interesting to see how the number of cases doesn't match for population sizes. Ontario, with a population of 12.8m has about 2600 confirmed flu cases; Alberta, with only 1/3 the population, has nearly as many cases: 2340.

Week 2
FLU 2014 TYPE A A + B
Provinces            Cases
Population
Ontario 2590 2646        12.8m
Alberta 2332 2357      3.6m
Quebec 1410 1669
B.C. 887 908      4.6m
Saskatchewan 725 726      1m
Manitoba 120 129     
Newfoundland 82 108 
N.B. 235 236   0.75m
N.S. 30 30   0.9m
PEI 1 1  
Canada 8412 8810        35m

Here is week 1 (Dec. 29 -  Jan.4).
It's move into the Outawois, southern Quebec.
And widespread in Alberta.

Hopefully, it will peak soon.
You can see the differences between hospitalisation rates and deaths back when H1N1 first confronted us.

We have learned lessons, and it appears that the vaccines have been working pretty well.

Influenza Surveillance

Flu Watch webpage
To see where the flu is active in Canada, visit the FluWatch web site. FluWatch produces weekly influenza surveillance reports from October to May and bi-weekly reports from June to September each year.


16 comments:

Ontario Wanderer said...

Flu stats? Not the cheeriest of blogs. I enjoyed the more snowy blogs and photos that came earlier.

Our snow is turning into slush today. Not sure what the best foot ware would be but I opted for boots with icers on the bottom as the ice on the walk was wet with rain and very slippery! Of course when I got off the walk I ended up sinking through the snow and getting wet boots from the water underneath.

Kay said...

I've been hearing news about this in the US also. It's really scary. We did get our flu shot, but hope we didn't get it too early.

Powell River Books said...

It was very disconcerting to hear that H1N1 was back. We have our flu shots, but I don't know if they included that strain in the mix this year. - Margy

Jenn Jilks said...

I like math and arithmetic!
Icers are the best in this awful stuff.

Debbie said...

I have been batteling a cold for 10 days and just keep thinking "be grateful it's not the flu"!!!

Christine said...

very scary

Christine said...

Jenn Paint Party entries don't have to be painted. It's just anything creative, I have seen woodwork, sculpture, painted pottery.

Jenn Jilks said...

Margy - this year's flu shot DID include H1N1!

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.

Louisette said...

Interesting article and links, thanks.Have a nice weekend.