Dr. Bonnie Henry acknowledges flu deaths of B.C. children, promises weekly reports going forward
B.C. health officials will now be reporting on the number of pediatric deaths from the flu weekly, a change that comes in the wake of an alarming number of fatalities this season.
A statement from provincial health officer Dr. Bonne Henry issued Thursday marks the first formal acknowledgment by the province's top doctor that six children and youth have died in the province, something CTV News first reported Tuesday. In a typical flu season, there are five or six deaths in the entire country.
"This is an unusual season with unusual characteristics, including an early and intense surge in cases. With this unusual pattern, enhanced surveillance has been implemented that includes reporting of pediatric influenza-related deaths to public health officials," Henry wrote.
"As the information is confirmed, updates on pediatric influenza-related deaths will be posted weekly as part of the respiratory surveillance summaries on the (B.C. Centre for Disease Control) website."
Henry also provided the general ages of the six kids, saying one was younger than five, three were between five and nine, and two were between 15 and 19. She also said that while the deaths are still being investigated, some of the children and youth contracted bacterial infections, which can be a complication of the flu.
"Death associated with influenza in previously healthy children is a tragic, but rare event and is especially rare in school-age children and teens," she continued.
"While children typically have the highest respiratory virus infection rates, most children with influenza and other respiratory viruses typically recover safely at home without the need for medical intervention."
However, she also said there are kids who are at a higher risk than others, including infants and toddlers, those with chronic conditions, those that are "very obese" and those that have taken Aspirin or ASA (acetylsalicylic acid) for "long periods of time."
Parents and caregivers of those children, Henry added, should ask a doctor about Tamiflu, an anti-viral medication which can be helpful if taken within 12 to 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Henry's statement re-iterated health officials' advice to get all kids over six months old vaccinated, to stay home when sick, to wash hands frequently and to wear a mask "when appropriate."
Clinics across the Lower Mainland are opening up walk-in appointments for kids under 12 during a so-called "blitz."
Information about where children can get the shot is available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.