Indian Country Today: Inuit hit hard by H1N1 swine flu

H1N1 influenza outbreaks in Canada’s predominantly Inuit territories of Nunavut and northern Manitoba could trigger the World Health Organization to declare a global pandemic.

WHO briefed reporters June 9 that reports to the agency of infections in Inuit communities in Canada showed “disproportionate numbers of serious cases occurring,” said WHO senior official Keiji Fukuda.

He said the agency is seeing “a larger number than expected of young Inuit people developing serious illnesses requiring hospitalization,” but said any speculation as to causes such as genetic, environmental or due to underlying diseases is premature.

The agencies concern followed reports that the number of H1N1 cases doubled June 9 in the aboriginal community of Nunavut, from 25 to 53. In northeast Manitoba more than half of the 26 persons hospitalized on respirators are aboriginals.

Nunavut’s chief medical officer, Dr. Isaac Sobol, downplayed WHO’s report, telling reporters June 9 he didn’t see a “disproportionate number of serious cases,” in Inuit communities.

But the next day, CBC News Canada reported that 43 new cases were confirmed in Nunavut, bringing the total to 96. Manitoba reported four new aboriginal cases among 16 new cases.

Indian Country Today: Inuit hit hard by H1N1 swine flu

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Double loss for swine flu family

The family of the first person in Europe to die after being diagnosed with swine flu has suffered a double tragedy with the death of her baby.

Jacqueline Fleming, 38, from Glasgow, died on Sunday at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Her son Jack, who was born 11 weeks early, died a day later in a special care baby unit at the same hospital.

Ms Fleming had been suffering from underlying health problems since the birth of her son.

In a statement, her partner William McCann said it was an extremely distressing and difficult time for the family.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Double loss for swine flu family

TVNZ - H1N1 cases in New Zealand reach 100

The number of confirmed H1N1 flu cases in New Zealand has cracked the 100 mark.

The latest cases are from Canterbury, where 13 people have been confirmed with the virus.

They are linked to one person who visited Melbourne this month.

The virus is now affecting the lives of hundreds of New Zealanders, with several schools sending students home.

Year 12 students at Auckland's Westlake Girls High School have been asked by the Ministry of Health to stay home for the week, while Burnside High School in Christchurch has more than 70 students in isolation.

Meanwhile, the Government is continuing a strategy of trying to contain the flu, in a bid to stop hospitals being overloaded with flu victims.

TVNZ - H1N1 cases in New Zealand reach 100

Reuters: Novartis won't give free H1N1 vaccines to the poor

Swiss drugs company Novartis will not give free vaccines against H1N1 flu to poor countries, though it will consider discounts, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

'If you want to make production sustainable, you have to create financial incentives,' the FT quoted Novartis Chief Executive Daniel Vasella as saying in an early edition of Monday's paper.

The director-general of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, has called for drugs companies to show solidarity with poor countries as they develop vaccines against the pandemic H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.

Reuters: Novartis won't give free H1N1 vaccines to the poor

The Independent: Swine flu could grow far deadlier, says WHO adviser

One of the world's leading virologists warned last night that the swine flu virus shares worrying similarities with Spanish flu – which wiped out 50 million people in 1918 – and that we should be prepared for the worst.

As the pandemic continues to escalate, Professor Albert Osterhaus, an adviser to the World Health Organisation (WHO), expressed his fears that swine flu may develop into a far deadlier strain. 'In a doomsday scenario, we could have a severe pandemic, similar to the Spanish flu, and that could arise out of a mutation of the virus,' he said.

'Spanish flu also started as a relatively mild strain, comparable to the seasonal flu virus. Then, after half a year, there was a major peak and tens of millions of people died worldwide.' Both viruses seem to target largely healthy adults and children, he added.


The Independent: Swine flu could grow far deadlier, says WHO adviser