News Feature                   For Immediate Release

Oct 31, 2005

More Deadly Than SARS

With all the talk of “Super Bugs” like SARS, we sometimes forget that influenza can be just as deadly, affecting millions of Canadians every year. For most of us, the risks of the flu far outweigh the risks of SARS.

The flu causes 250,000-500,000 deaths worldwide each year. As many as 1500 Canadians, mostly seniors, die from pneumonia related to flu each year. There are about 70,000 hospital admissions annually in Canada related to flu. On average influenza infects about 10-20% of Canadians.  In comparison during the 2003 global outbreak of SARS, there were 8,098 probable cases and 774 deaths worldwide. In Canada, there were 438 probable cases and 44 deaths.

Both of these illnesses are very contagious and can cause severe respiratory disease. While we hope that SARS will not re-emerge anytime soon, we know that influenza is with us every year. The difference is influenza can be prevented or its severity reduced by immunization. There is no vaccine against the SARS virus.

Clear scientific evidence shows annual flu immunization is the most effective way to prevent infection and to avoid spreading the virus to those at high risk of influenza-related complications. High-risk groups include the elderly, young children and people dealing with chronic illness. That is the reason health care workers are strongly encouraged to get an annual flu shot.

Last year in Grey Bruce, the vast majority of retirement homes and long-term care facilities had well over 70% of their staff immunized. Seventy per cent is the minimum required to achieve group immunity and prevent large outbreaks; however, several acute care hospitals were well below that guideline. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization states, “health care workers who have direct patient contact should consider that their responsibility is to provide the highest standard of care, which includes undergoing annual influenza immunization.”

Flu season is almost upon us. Let us do everything we can to “beat the bug” for those in our care, our loved ones and ourselves.

For more information call Public Health at 376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 or visit our website at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.

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For more information:

Susan Shular

Program Manager, Communicable Diseases Program

Grey Bruce Health Unit

376-9420 ext 231