1/11 Yesterday I presented an update on the progress that Canadians have made to #FlattenTheCurve of #COVID19. We also looked at some of the short-term predictions from our real-data forecasting models. canada.ca/content/dam/ph…
2/11 The #COVID19 forecast for 🇨🇦 is looking better, though we are not entirely out of the woods yet. We must remain mindful that our projections are only as reliable as our actions. #PlankTheCurve#PhysicalDistancing#WashYourHands
3/11 If we maintain measures that keep the #COVID19 growth rate down and prevent outbreaks and potential rebound of spread, we stand the best chance of remaining on this favourable trajectory. #KeepItUp#PlankTheCurve
4/11 With the current promising signs of #COVID19 slowed growth, we are increasingly hearing of reopening plans but this won’t happen at the same time or in the same way everywhere across the country.
5/11 The epidemiological picture of #COVID19 in 🇨🇦, w\ slowed growth & bending of the epidemic curve is actually a composite of very different regional outbreaks/drivers of spread, so it depends on where you are.
6/11 Some areas of 🇨🇦 are seeing few or no recent #COVID19 cases & have started gradual social & economic reopening plans, while maintaining key public health practices, like #PhysicalDistancing & limited social gathering.
7/11 All areas of 🇨🇦 know that prevention practices are a vital part of reopening plans for workplaces, schools & businesses, like keeping 2m ↔ #PhysicalDistancing, when out or in the workplace & #handwashing, always. #COVID19
8/11 As well, other critical #publichealth capacity must be in place & maintained across Canada in order to ensure adequate testing to detect alerts and respond quickly to any new #COVID19 disease activity. #TestandTrace
9/11 Local/Provincial & Territorial level reopening plans are key to managing this next phase of #COVID19. Based on public health criteria, effective #publichealth measures are being balanced against potential negative consequences.
10/11 Measures will need to remain flexible & adaptable to alerts and signals. Although we will be living with #COVID19 for the foreseeable future, #StrongerTogether we can keep this virus at bay by remaining vigilant.
1/4 Co-circulation of #COVID19, #influenza & #RSV viruses is causing significant strain on health care systems. Very young & elderly people and those with pre-existing medical conditions, continue to be at highest risk for serious illness.
2/4 Most worrisome is an increase in influenza-related hospitalisations. Also, sentinel paediatric hospital data suggest a shift to a ↑ proportion of hospitalized cases in 10-16 year-olds, compared to seasons prior to the #COVID19 pandemic.
3/4 However, the highest cumulative hospitalization rates for influenza continue to be among young children under 5 years of age and weekly pediatric hospitalization numbers remain above typical peak season levels.
2/4 These latest data show the tragic and continued increase in average daily deaths and hospitalisations due to opioid-related overdoses in Canada in 2021, compared to earlier years.
3/4 From April to June 2022, a total of 1,652 people lost their lives, while 1,163 were hospitalized due to an opioid-related overdose. #StopOverdoses
(1/5) Today, Canada’s Chief Medical Officers of Health are reinforcing the importance of staying up to date with vaccines to maintain protection against COVID-19 and other vaccine preventable diseases canada.ca/en/public-heal…
(2/5) We are also celebrating the collaboration and efforts of jurisdictions, Indigenous partners, healthcare workers, individuals and communities. Our continued collective efforts will be integral to our emergence from this pandemic.
(3/5) With #COVID19Vaccines now available to anyone 6 months or older, staying up to date means getting a primary series and then #BoosterDoses when you are eligible, recognizing jurisdictions’ programs may differ based on epidemiology and programmatic considerations.
1/5 Today, the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) announced seroprevalence results from 21 studies funded by the Government of Canada, estimating the level of infection during the Omicron wave up to the end of May 2022. covid19immunitytaskforce.ca/the-omicron-ts…
2/5 Antibodies to certain blood proteins known as “nucleocapsids” only develop in those who’ve been infected. So detecting their presence in blood (seroprevalence) is a way to estimate the proportion of people with past #SARSCoV2 infection.
3/5 CITF results confirm the massive scale of the #Omicron wave. Before Omicron arrived in Dec 2021, ~7% of Canadians had infection-acquired antibodies to #SARSCoV2. Then from Dec 2021 to May 2022, that proportion rose to 45%!
1/5 The Public Health Agency of Canada is aware that @SickKidsNews has reported cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children to @ONTHealth. This is a relatively rare condition that does occur in Canada. In many cases, an underlying cause cannot be found.
2/5 Information on these and other cases is being further reviewed by health authorities. Those that meet the case definition will be reported to @GovCanHealth to be included in the national investigation.
3/5 We do not know if we are seeing an increase in the number of cases of acute hepatitis of unknown cause in children. More information is needed to assess the situation and any potential risks to people in Canada.
1/5 #COVID19 key concerns 🇨🇦 : as public health measures have eased and we resume more activities and connections, other serious infectious diseases, such as influenza and measles, are making a comeback. canada.ca/en/public-heal…
2/5 #COVID19 is still circulating across the country and Canada is reporting increased #influenza activity in recent weeks, late in the 2021-22 season. This includes the first outbreaks and a sharp rise in influenza detections, mostly in ages <45 years. canada.ca/en/public-heal…
3/5 .@UNICEF & @WHO report a 79% increase in worldwide measles cases in Jan-Feb 2022 compared to the same time last year, a worrying sign of overall heightened risk for spread of vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) that could trigger larger outbreaks. who.int/news/item/27-0…