H1N1 Claims More Lives In Canada

November 5, 2009 2:13 p.m. EST

Ottawa, Ontario (AHN) - Even as Ottawa doubles time to vaccinate more Canadians against the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, more residents are succumbing to swine flu. On Wednesday, Ontario reported 37 H1N1 deaths, while British Columbia logged three.

Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Arlene King disclosed that aside from the 37 dead, the province has 108 residents hospitalized due to swine flu, with 65 of them in intensive care. More Ontarians are showing up at emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms.

Among the 37 dead are a two-month old baby and two seniors. According to the Middlesex-London Health Unit, the infant is the first recorded H1N1 death under the age of one.

In British Columbia, the three fatalities were a male and female with chronic health problems and an elderly resident. With the three deaths, BC has 15 residents who died due to the swine flu virus, while 162 are confined in hospitals with the H1N1 virus, almost twice last week's 88 tally.

What is alarming is that as the number of deaths and laboratory-confirmed cases rise, the availability of vaccine continues to dwindle as more Canadians seek protection. Even healthy Canadians are seeking immunization that in Alberta, an official who allowed members of the Calgary Flames to jump the line and get H1N1 shots was fired.

By next week, Ottawa is expected to ship 1.8 million doses of swine flu vaccine across the country, made up of one million adjuvanted vaccines and 800,000 adjuvant-free vaccines for pregnant women. The 1.8 million doses is just the minimum, according to a Health Canada spokesperson.