H1N1 pandemic may be waning in Canada, U.S.
There are growing signs that the H1N1 flu pandemic is waning in North America, based on a number of indicators from health officials and doctors.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says that, as of the week ending Nov. 14, the number of outbreaks at schools and hospitals, the prevalence of flu-related doctor visits and the number of flu cases for testing across the country declined.
In Ottawa, the number of flu cases fell far enough for local health authorities to closed all but one of the city’s flu assessment clinics. In Vancouver, a flu clinic at the B.C. Children’s hospital also shut down this week as the number of patients eased.
“This is an outbreak that rose for the first four weeks, peaked three weeks ago and is now in freefall,” said Dr. Richard Schabas, Ontario’s former chief medical officer.
South of the border, fewer Americans are visiting their doctor because of swine flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Absentee rates at U.S. schools have returned to normal as well.
The evidence suggests that the virus is spreading more slowly than it was in September and October, and the number of lab samples testing positive for H1N1 is dropping.
