Latest news with #Jenne
Calgary Herald
02-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Measles cases in Alberta rise to 210, with majority reported in kids and teenagers
The number of reported measles cases in Alberta has reached 210, the majority of which are contained in the southern region of the province. Article content Article content As of May 2, the province has reported 106 cases in southern Alberta, with 72 in the central region and 20 in the north. Article content Seven cases are reported to come from Calgary, with the remaining five in Edmonton. Article content Out of the 210, 121 have been diagnosed in children and teenagers, aged five to 17-years-old, and 58 cases have been recorded among children under five years old. Article content Article content 'It's not really surprising that we don't see a lot of infections in adults,' he said. 'Over the past two decades we've seen declining early childhood vaccines. So those kids are either really small today and haven't been vaccinated or have missed out on their vaccinations in the past 10 or 15 years and those are the people we are unfortunately seeing the measles virus infect.' Article content Since the first case was reported earlier this year, doctors have been ringing the bell on importance of being immunized against the measles, which requires getting two doses of the measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Article content 'We just don't see this slowing down until we get the immunization rates up,' Jenne said. Article content As of April 26, 11 hospitalizations have been reported in the province. 'People can have severe rash and fever and not require hospitalizations but some will end up developing severe respiratory disease and require breathing support,' he said. Article content Article content The challenge is containing the spread of the infection in the hospital while taking care of infected patients. They're placed in an infection containment unit, which are resource intensive and limited in number of beds available. 'Measles aren't the only infection that require containment,' Jenne said, adding more stresses to an already overloaded healthcare system straining from lack of spaces and resources to care for patients. Article content Ontario is currently in the 10th month of their outbreak, with numbers climbing over 1,000. Quebec has had better success containing the outbreak in the province, but that's due to higher vaccination rates compared to those in Alberta, Jenne said. Article content 'In Alberta, we do see the numbers growing week after week and there's no sign of them slowing down,' he said. Article content Alberta health minister Adriana LaGrange on Thursday at a media briefing said the province is not under a 'provincial outbreak.' Article content 'We have excellent MOHs … and a health-care public health team that is working on this,' she said. 'It's because of the great work that they're doing that we've seen a 66 per cent increase in the number of immunizations from this time last year.' Article content
CBC
28-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Alberta's flu death toll highest in at least 16 years as vaccination rates drop
Alberta has experienced its deadliest flu season in recent memory and it's not over yet. According to provincial data, 193 Albertans have died due to influenza so far this season, surpassing last year's total of 175. That's the highest death toll since at least 2009. The previous major peak, in 2022-23, was 123 flu deaths. Death rates, based on population, are also the highest in at least 16 years. "I'm concerned now that after seeing this trend now for three years that this is becoming the new normal," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. While weekly case counts are dropping, influenza continues to take a toll. According to Alberta's respiratory virus dashboard, there are still 172 people hospitalized due to influenza and nine patients are in intensive care. "We continue seeing patients present to hospital with influenza," said Dr. Shelley Duggan, president of the Alberta Medical Association and a critical care specialist based in Edmonton. "We're still admitting them to the intensive care unit. We are still seeing outbreaks on hospital wards. We are still seeing patients who are getting influenza in hospital. So it's quite unusual." According to Duggan, the pressure on hospitals due to influenza is usually easing up by this time of year. Alberta Health said a number of factors can impact flu trends, including the predominant viral strain, individual behaviours and global trends. "This season saw increased co-circulation of both H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A strains. H3N2, in particular, is known to cause more severe illness in older adults," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "Alberta Health continuously monitors respiratory virus laboratory data, as well as hospitalizations and deaths related to influenza, COVID-19 and RSV. In addition, respiratory outbreaks in high-risk settings — such as long-term care facilities — are actively managed by Alberta Health Services and Public Health teams to help limit spread and protect vulnerable populations." Immunization campaigns "It's clear the status quo right now is not having an effect. And that is evidenced now by three records in a row of influenza deaths," said Jenne. He's concerned about Alberta's vaccination rates, which have plummeted in recent years. "I worry because many of these may be preventable deaths," said Jenne, who is also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. Publicly available data shows 21 per cent of Albertans have received a flu shot this season. That's the lowest uptake since 2009-10, when just 20 per cent rolled up their sleeves for an influenza vaccine. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, flu vaccination rates rose to 37 per cent. Prior to the pandemic, in 2018-19, that immunization rate was 31 per cent. "Years where we had high vaccine uptake we definitely saw reduced fatalities … and in years where vaccine rates dropped off, unfortunately we did see upticks in hospitalizations and deaths," said Jenne. He's calling on health officials to investigate the relationship between dropping vaccination rates and increasing deaths. Jenne is worried public health messaging is waning in Alberta and he's calling for a new approach. "Past years, there had been very public campaigns about flu shot clinics opening and, unfortunately, in the last several years, those have been much more muted," he said. He noted the number of Albertans without a family doctor to remind them about flu vaccination has grown. Duggan is also calling on the province to improve its fall immunization campaign and outreach. "It's important that we consider going into next year that we really need to be more aggressive and more conscious with a flu campaign and getting people vaccinated," she said. The province said all Albertans six months of age and older were eligible to receive a free flu shot again this season, and the universal immunization program will be available for the 2025-26 flu season "It's important to note that declining influenza vaccination rates are being observed across the country and are not unique to Alberta," the Alberta Health spokesperson said, noting key information is available through the province's respiratory virus dashboard. "Messaging is also shared at regular intervals via social media, with announcements on vaccine availability made in advance of each season. Alberta Health Services leads seasonal immunization campaigns during the peak respiratory virus period, using TV, radio, print, outdoor and digital advertising to reach Albertans." Alberta Health said it standardized influenza death reporting during the 2020-21 flu season so it's likely more deaths were captured from that point on. It also started including community deaths due to influenza, in addition to hospital deaths, during the 2021-22 flu season. Community deaths have accounted for between five and 16 flu deaths a year since counting began. Meanwhile, Duggan wants Albertans to know influenza can be deadly at any age. "We are seeing young people — maybe people in their 40s who might have diabetes who are getting influenza [and] who are then also getting another bacterial pneumonia on top of it — and unfortunately they can still die," she said.
CBC
05-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Five years later, COVID-19 continues to leave its mark on Albertans
Social Sharing Five years after the province identified its first COVID-19 case, Albertans are being urged not to lose sight of those still struggling with its devastating impacts. In a moment few Albertans will forget, Dr. Deena Hinshaw — Alberta's then chief medical officer of health — took to the podium on March 5, 2020, to announce that a woman in her 50s had tested positive after returning from a cruise. It was the province's first presumptive COVID-19 case. Since then, 6,691 Albertans have died due to the illness. And while deaths and hospitalizations have dropped significantly, COVID-19 continues to kill hundreds of Albertans every year. "This is not a disease that has come and gone. It's unfortunately something that's left its mark on Alberta," said Craig Jenne, professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. "The pandemic has ended but, unfortunately, the endemic stage has now begun. And this is a virus that we're going to have to deal with basically every year moving forward." And while many expected SARS-CoV-2 would eventually become a seasonal virus, similar to influenza, that hasn't truly happened. "It's not like the flu," said Sarah Otto, a professor at the University of British Columbia who specializes in mathematical modelling. "It's so transmissible and so easy to get that people are getting it … multiple times a year." Otto, an evolutionary biologist, is one of several Canadian scientists tracking COVID-19 variants. "We're not seeing it go away in the summer. It goes through these little undulations as new variants evolve and we see a little uptick. But then people's immunity builds and it goes down again. And that's happening year after year." Prior to the pandemic, the leading cause of death due to infectious diseases in Canada was influenza, according to Jenne. That has changed. "Last year alone, COVID killed more than four times as many Albertans as flu," said Jenne, who is also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. "[It] continues to be a significant threat to people that have underlying health conditions, older and — to a certain extent — younger Albertans." Long COVID continues And the pandemic has left another mark: long COVID. Estimates about its prevalence vary, but according to a national survey involving Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, 19 per cent of Canadians infected with SARS-CoV-2 reported experiencing long-term symptoms (for three or more months) in 2023. "As of June 2023, about 100,000 Canadian adults have been unable to return to work or school because of their symptoms," the report said. The most common symptoms reported are fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath. But other problems can occur as well, according to doctors, including uncontrolled and rapid increases in heart rate, known as tachycardia. It can be triggered by activities as simple as standing up and walking into another room. Prior to the pandemic, Dr. Satish Raj, a Calgary-based cardiologist, was already treating patients with similar problems after viral infections. The condition is known as POTS. "What was different about COVID wasn't that this type of thing had never happened before, but that it had never happened before on the scale, societally, as it happened with COVID," said Raj, a University of Calgary professor and medical director of the Calgary autonomic investigation and management clinic. He estimates five to 10 per cent of Albertans have ongoing symptoms after a COVID infection, and up to two per cent are so debilitated they can't go to work or school. His waitlist has grown since COVID-19 hit and is now close to two years. "In our desire to move on and get past it, I think we're forgetting some of the people who have been wounded by it," said Raj. "We're not necessarily showing a commitment to providing the resources to help them to continue to be part of society." Last year, Alberta Health Services shuttered its long COVID outpatient program, which provided multi-disciplinary specialized care. Care is less co-ordinated now, said Raj. "I think there's a major domino effect by getting rid of those clinics — not just for the patients for whom they're caring — but as an information resource for physician and providers." In a statement, Alberta Health Services said most people can manage symptoms at home and people should start by contacting their primary care provider or Health Link for support. Meanwhile, with testing no longer easily accessible to the public, confirming a diagnosis of long COVID is increasingly difficult, according to Dr. Grace Lam, a University of Alberta respirologist. "It makes it really quite challenging to pin down how many Albertans are still suffering with this or are newly developing this at this point." Lam, who also treats long COVID patients, worries about people being infected multiple times. "With repeated infections, your risk of long COVID does increase," she said. But there is hope, according to Lam, who said clinical trials are exploring treatment options. Meanwhile, reflecting on the past five years, Jenne pointed to what he sees as key achievements, including global surveillance and co-operation that led to the rapid development and deployment of vaccines. "We were able to dramatically impact the number of lives lost," he said.
CBC
25-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
Manitoba's top doctor urges people to get flu shot amid late surge in influenza cases
Social Sharing A late spike in flu cases is putting an increased strain on Manitoba's health-care facilities, the province's top doctor warns. Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, urged people to get their flu shot amid a surge in influenza cases and low vaccination rates. Provincial data shows cases of the Influenza A — the currently dominant strain — were still climbing higher as of two weeks ago, with a 27.12 per cent test positivity rate. The uptick is happening later than during the past two seasons, which saw Influenza A cases begin dropping from peak highs around late December. "We still haven't peaked in flu A," Roussin said. "Numbers are high, putting that increased strain on our ERs and hospitals." Canada is currently seeing what may be the highest level of flu cases since 2020, with about 26.9 per cent of influenza tests being positive according to a federal government report. 'Not too late to get vaccinated' Dr. Craig Jenne, an infectious diseases researcher who teaches at the University of Calgary, said the late rise may be due to a long cold snap driving up transmission in indoor spaces, though he added different waves come at different times every year. "This is also in many parts of Canada coupled to a near-record-low vaccine rate," Jenne said. "Because of that, we do see a lot more flu cases and we see a lot of people unfortunately needing medical care in the hospitals." In Manitoba, coverage for the flu shot dropped from 25.2 per cent last flu season to 23 per cent, according to provincial data. COVID-19 seasonal shot rates dropped from 19.1 per cent to 16 per cent. "Even early childhood [vaccine rates] in a number of areas of Canada … have continued to decline," Jenne said. A study published late last year looking at data from five jurisdictions — including Manitoba — found vaccination rates for children aged two to seven fell from 2019 to 2023. "We are seeing now, unfortunately, the resurgence of not just the flu, but other viral diseases which … had really been largely eliminated from Canada," Jenne said, adding the situation is taking resources away from other areas of the health-care system. "It's certainly not too late to get vaccinated," Dr. Roussin said.
CBC
21-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
Alberta mulls roll out of H5N1 avian flu vaccine while Ottawa stockpiles doses for provinces
Alberta is reviewing new guidance on H5N1 avian influenza vaccines, and who could be prioritized for getting them, as shipments are readied to fan out across the country and concerns about the virus grow. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced Wednesday it has authorized a human vaccine and purchased 500,000 doses. The federal agency plans to share 60 per cent of those doses with the provinces, while the remainder will be stockpiled for what it calls "national preparedness." According to PHAC, the number of human cases in North America is increasing, primarily among poultry and dairy farm workers, and the vaccines will be used to protect people who may be at increased risk of being exposed through infected animals. "Doses will be available for distribution directly from the manufacturer to provinces and territories in the coming weeks based on their respective plans and local risk considerations," a PHAC spokesperson said in an email to CBC News. "Provinces and territories will be responsible for determining whether and when to offer avian influenza vaccinations and managing their vaccination campaigns, including administering the vaccine to eligible recipients." The National Advisory Committee on Immunization also issued preliminary guidance for provinces. Its recommendations include when vaccines could be offered and which groups could be prioritized, including lab workers (who handle live H5N1 virus) and people with ongoing contact with infected animals and their environments (including those who live and work on poultry and dairy farms with known infections). The document provides a framework — including a number of scenarios — for provinces to consider. It does not recommend widespread vaccination. Alberta considers options Alberta Health said it's aware of the new guidance. Its immunization team, along with the chief medical officer of health, will review it in detail and assess its implications for Albertans. It did not respond to questions from CBC News about how many doses could be allocated to the province or when shipments would arrive. "The hope is, looking at the NACI guidelines, that we really take those to heart," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. He believes the guidelines are an appropriate strategy and reflect the level of risk in the community. "Being able to protect those, for example, who would have to go into a poultry farm that has active virus, is a smart move. As we see that virus spread into larger circles, now vaccinating local farmers or a local community — who will be contacting people that may have contracted the virus — is a smart move, " he said. If adopted, the guidelines would work to limit the opportunities for the virus to evolve and adapt more readily to people, according to Jenne, who's also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. He said, for the most part, there has not been sustained human-to-human transmission, and human cases have been limited. "But, as we saw earlier this year in British Columbia, some of those human cases can be very severe," he said. "And we do want to ensure that the people that are most likely to be exposed … have that level of protection." Jenne said it's encouraging to see the vaccine is approved and ready to go. And he expects with connections to manufacturers in place, deployment could be rapid if immunizations are needed on a wider scale. According to Alberta Health, symptomatic Albertans, exposed to infected animals or contaminated environments within the last 10 days, can access testing and treatment through Health Link at 811, the department said. Health care providers in the province have also been told to consider testing for H5N1 if patients are symptomatic and have been exposed to animals with suspected or confirmed infections in the preceding 10 days. The risk to most Canadians remains low, according to federal officials. As of Feb. 14, a total of 68 human cases of H5N1 avian flu had been reported in the U.S. since the start of 2024, mostly among dairy and poultry workers, including one death, PHAC said. In the same time period, Canada has reported one human case — a teenager in B.C. who was released from hospital in January
