3 children die from influenza A-related complications in Ottawa and eastern Ontario region

Three children have died from flu-related complications in the Ottawa area this month, as officials warn of a “rapid and significant rise” in influenza A cases.

In a statement released Monday morning, Ottawa Public Health said three children between the ages of five and nine have died from influenza A-related complications in the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario Health Unit regions during the first two weeks of December.

“It is important to know that we do see flu-related deaths, we do see flu-related deaths in Canada every year,” Dr. Trevor Arnason, Ottawa’s medical officer of health, told CTV News Ottawa.

“This number, though, represents a very fast rise in the flu early in the season and is affecting a large number of people with serious illness. We’re trying to get the message out that the flu can be prevented through vaccination and, often times, the vaccination can prevent the complications of flu or reduce the severity of the flu illness.”

Officials are “strongly recommending” everyone aged six months and older get their flu vaccine as “soon as possible,” according to the health unit.

“This is a stark reminder that the flu can lead to severe illness and complications that require hospital care,” said the statement from Ottawa Public Health and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit.

“With much of the respiratory illness season still ahead, we anticipate this will continue to be a challenging flu season.”

Ottawa’s children’s hospital has reported a “higher-than usual” number of flu cases and complications so far in December.

Last week, CHEO president and CEO Dr. Vera Etches said “the early and intense start to flu season” has led to “unprecedented volumes” in the hospital’s emergency department. In a letter to physicians, Etches asked local physicians to work in the CHEO’s Kids Come First Care Clinic.

“These numbers have stretched capacity to the limit, with staff relying on overflow spaces to safely care for young patients,” Etches said in the letter, provided to CTV News Ottawa.

The clinic, which is seeing up to 70 patients a day, has extended operating hours and increased staffing to divert some patients from the emergency department, according to CHEO.

Etches also asked physicians to “prioritize after hours and urgent appointments” at their clinics for children with respiratory symptoms.

Ottawa Public Health declared Ottawa “officially entered flu season” during the first week of December, warning there were “very high levels” of flu in the community.

Dr. Arnason said the three deaths are “reflective of a severe flu season” that officials are seeing in the Ottawa area.

“These are influenza A-related deaths and we’re advising people that the flu season has come early this year, it has seen a rapid rise and our main message is that there’s still an opportunity to get vaccinated and vaccination is the best method to protect against the flu,” Arnason said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported last week the influenza per cent positivity rate across Canada was 20.2 per cent for the week ending Dec. 6, up from 8.3 per cent two weeks earlier.

Request to get vaccinated

With Christmas less than two weeks away, Ottawa Public Health and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit are urging residents to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated against the flu before the holidays.

“Vaccination is especially important this season for children due to the rise in severe illness. Parents and caregivers can help protect children by being vaccinated themselves,” the health units said.

“As the vaccine takes about two weeks to reach full effectiveness, getting vaccinated now will help provide protection during the busy holiday season when there is often increased circulation of the flu. While the vaccine may not always prevent infection, it still offers strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and complications.”

Residents can get the flu vaccine at pharmacies in Ottawa and eastern Ontario.

Ottawa Public Health offers the flu vaccine, by appointment only, to children under five and their household members and newcomers without OHIP.

Tips to stay healthy

Ottawa Public Health offers the following tips to stay healthy and protect others during the flu season.

• Wash your hands often
• Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands
• Cover coughs and sneezes with your sleeve or a tissue
• Stay home if you are sick
• Avoid visiting people in long-term care or retirement homes and hospitals if you are ill
• If you are sick, or at higher risk of severe illness, consider wearing a mask in crowded or indoor public spaces

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Katie Griffin