Public health

Health officials advise caution amid flu surge

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Health officials advise caution amid flu surge

Ruby Pratka, LJI reporter

Health officials advise caution among flu surge

Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The province is experiencing its roughest flu season since before the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials confirmed last week. On Feb. 14, public health director Dr. Luc Boileau and Santé Québec deputy vice-president Robin Marie Coleman briefed reporters on the spread of respiratory viruses around the province.

“The good news is that COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus [test positivity rates] are continuing to drop. The bad news is that the influenza A curve is still rising,” Boileau said. “A few weeks ago, we said the peak would arrive around the first or second week of February. We are in the second week of February, so the data we have over the next week will allow us to determine whether it’s continuing to rise or if it’s stagnating or falling off.” 

Boileau said this flu season is one of the worst in the last decade. He said the Estrie and greater Montreal regions were the most affected, with positivity rates above 40 per cent, although there was no immediately obvious epidemiological reason why this was the case. 

Boileau said elderly people and young children face the highest risk of serious complications from the flu. He encouraged the general population, especially health-care workers, future parents and people with chronic illnesses, to take advantage of free flu vaccination, available at most local pharmacies via ClicSanté. “It’s not too late!” 

He noted that elderly and at-risk people can get a flu or COVID test at their local pharmacy and receive medication to stave off complications. People who are experiencing flu-like symptoms are encouraged to call Info-Santé 811 to speak to a nurse before going to the emergency room. “It’s better and healthier for people to stay at home if they have non-urgent care [situation] and wait in order to be redirected to a clinic directly with an appointment rather than expose themselves in an emergency room when it’s not an emergency situation,” Coleman said. 

Boileau advised people with the flu or flu-like symptoms to isolate at home unless absolutely necessary. “If you must leave home, to go to work or what have you, wear a mask while you have symptoms. You can be contagious seven or eight days after the beginning of symptoms. It’s not measles, but it’s still a very contagious virus. Be careful, wash your hands, cough in your elbow and take all of the other measures you’ve been hearing about.” He also suggested that people who are members of vulnerable groups wear masks in crowded environments, although the health ministry has no plans to impose additional mask requirements. 

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Respiratory viruses spreading in the region

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – According to the Gaspé Peninsula and Magdalen Islands Public Health Department there is currently a moderate number of respiratory virus cases in the Gaspé Peninsula, which is comparable to last year. 

Following the holiday season, a time which is conducive to the spread of viruses, many people posted on social media about having contracted a virus. 

“The data we have indicates that we are in it (flu season). It is a fairly normal season,” says the interim Public Health director, Dr. Christine Dufour Turbis. 

It is difficult to have an accurate picture since people who have mild symptoms do not seek medical attention. However, “the number of calls for flu-like symptoms to the 811 service is not very high,” says the specialist. 

COVID-19 in the region has stabilized after a surge in September. “There was more COVID in September. It is decreasing and has been stable for a few weeks in the region. There are a few outbreaks in some CISSS establishments, but it is quite stable,” comments Dr. Dufour Turbis. 

The influenza virus arrived in mid-December. “Currently, it is increasing. We have a rate comparable to a regular season. The 2024-2025 season does not stand out compared to other seasons for the moment,” she says. 

Dr. Dufour Turbis anticipates an upcoming wave, as the virus is present in other parts of Quebec. “We feel that it is coming,” she warns. 

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also made its appearance in early December, primarily affecting very young children. 

Whooping cough, which is bacterial, is on the decline after a highly active 2024. “Since the start of the school year, it has been decreasing. I know there were a few cases during the holiday season, but the last news is that it was decreasing. But the disease is still present in the region,” states Dr. Dufour Turbis. 

Meanwhile, although measles has made a comeback in Quebec it is currently not in the Gaspé Peninsula. 

A provincial monitoring effort has been reintroduced. 

“In the region, we have good vaccination coverage. It is a strength of the region. We have a vaccine that protects individuals well against measles. We are preparing regionally but for the moment, we are not affected at all, nor by the wave that hit elsewhere in 2024 in Quebec,” she emphasizes. 

Vaccination campaigns against influenza and COVID-19 are ongoing. Even late, the vaccine remains effective. “The people we are targeting are those who have risk factors. Everyone can get vaccinated. These viruses mutate and we will not be able to eliminate them through vaccination. The goal of vaccination is to prevent complications of the disease and deaths in people at risk,” explains the doctor, who reminds us that if people have any symptoms of the flu, it is better to stay home or wear a mask in public places. 

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COVID, flu vaccinations for general population to begin this week

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COVID, flu vaccinations for general population to begin this week

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Quebecers who want additional protection against COVID-19 and seasonal flu will be able to book vaccination appointments online and over the phone as of Oct. 16, public health officials said last week.

“Every year, it’s no surprise, when temperatures start drop- ping and people start going back inside, there’s always an increase in respiratory viruses,” Quebec public health director Dr. Luc Boileau told reporters on Oct. 7. “Beginning the [vaccination] campaign in October is ideal, because it allows people who are at the highest risk of complications to be protected at the right time.”

Boileau said ministry data indicated that there has been “elevated community spread” of COVID over the past few months; cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) “were starting to go around,” and it was expected that flu season would start in a few weeks. He called on people who were experiencing flu-like symptoms to stay home and avoid spreading their illness to more vulnerable people. He pointed out that a negative COVID rapid test did not mean a person wasn’t sick – the test could be a false negative or the person could have another illness.

“If you have a fever, stay home. If you feel well enough to go about your daily busi- ness, wear a mask as long as your symptoms last and don’t visit people who are at risk [of serious complications from COVID or flu].” High-risk groups include seniors 75 and older, babies and young children, people with compromised immune systems and pregnant women.

Boileau added that although rapid tests are no longer recommended for the general population due to their relative unreliability, people at high risk of complications who believe they have COVID should still get tested in a testing centre, so they can start prophylactic treatment.

“Not the same vaccine”

Dr. Nicholas Brousseau is a Quebec City-based public health physician at the Institut national de la santé publique (INSPQ) and a member of the provincial consultative committee on vaccination. “This is not the same COVID vaccine that was available earlier [this year] – it is an updated vaccine targeting the KP.2 variant that will help you be protected in fall and winter,” he explained.

Brousseau said current vaccines are effective for a limited time because the virus keeps changing. However, he said it was too early to tell whether new COVID vaccines would be developed and made available annually like seasonal flu vaccines. “This is still a new virus and it’s changing a lot. We are always getting new variants – we don’t know if it will continue like that or if it will stabilize. There are still a lot of unknowns.”

Vaccination campaign to begin Oct. 16

Boileau said vaccination campaigns for COVID, flu and RSV have already begun in long-term care centres and among high-risk populations. He invited healthy adults at low risk of complications from COVID or flu to book a vaccination appointment online via ClicSanté starting Oct. 16. It is possible to get vaccinated against COVID and flu on the same day. Healthy adults under 75 are not systematically vaccinated against RSV, which main- ly affects seniors and young children. Babies will be able to receive a preventative antibody treatment against RSV as of Nov 4. The flu and COVID vaccines are free; the RSV vaccine and antibody treatment are free to at-risk groups; free and systematic RSV vaccination may eventually be extended to other groups, according to Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh, head of Quebec’s immunization committee, who spoke alongside Boileau.

People who cannot or don’t want to make an appointment online can book by phone at 1-877-644-4545. The phone line is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and offers services in both French and English.

Quach-Thanh noted that antibodies take about two weeks to develop after a person is vaccinated. “Since we don’t exactly know when the season of virus transmission is going to start, it’s better to do it early than late.”

“Thank you for considering the option of getting vaccinated,” Boileau said, addressing Quebecers at large at a press conference that was live- streamed on social media. “It can make a difference for you and a lot of people around you as well. Vaccination is free and accessible – there’s no reason not to do it.”

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Mosquitos are thriving,and so are mosquito-borne viruses

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

A wet August followed by a warmer-than-usual September has become a perfect combination for an extended mosquito season.

Besides being a nuisance, mosquitos can transmit dangerous diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV) and the California serogroup virus, as well as eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), which has surfaced locally this summer in horses despite generally being considered quite rare.

Chantal Vallée, a senior advisor with the communications and public affairs department at the Centre intégré de santé et services sociaux de la Montérégie-Centre, confirms there have been no human cases of EEE reported in the Montérégie to date. She notes, however, that an increase in WNV infections has been detected in the region.

WNV has been endemic or regularly occurring in Quebec since 2002. It is a mandatory reportable disease in Quebec, and the number of cases identified each year are recorded by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. The number of WNV infections tends to increase cyclically every four to five years, and the province is anticipating cases may continue to rise this fall.

As of September 26, there have been 61 cases confirmed across the province, and of those, 26 were diagnosed in the Montérégie. Only 20 cases of WNV were reported in Quebec in 2023, including six in the Montérégie.

Vallée says the Direction de Santé Publique de la Montérégie (DSPM) issued a call for vigilance in August to alert health-care professionals throughout the region to the potential risks posed by these infections.

“In the presence of symptoms affecting the nervous system, health-care professionals are being encouraged to look for these infections by performing the appropriate tests,” says Vallée.

The DSPM also encourages the adoption of preventive measures, especially for people at greater risk of serious illness, including individuals over 50-years-old, and those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer.

Vallée confirms it is important people protect themselves against mosquito bites as long as mosquitos are active this fall.

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Dr. Yv Bonnier Viger steps down from his role as Regional Director of Public Health

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – As of September 3, Dr. Yv Bonnier Viger, the Regional Director of Public Health for the Gaspé Peninsula and Magdalen Islands, will be stepping down.

Dr. Bonnier Viger, who is a preventative medicine specialist will take on the role of medical advisor. “We had been thinking about this for some time. We had to ensure a succession. The succession is ready and I will step down because I am a 1950 model. At some point, we simply have to make way for the succession,” says Dr. Bonnier Viger, who is 74 years old.

The physician will continue his work to support his successor in a smooth transition. Dr. Bonnier Viger has held this position twice: from 2001 to 2002, and since 2016. His tenure as Director of Public Health was especially defined by the pandemic. Dr. Bonnier Viger believes that his team is well-prepared to handle any future events. Lessons have been learned, and Public Health is now working on building a better response for what the future may hold.

“We are preparing plans and we will take the time to do simulations to be ready. We can be ready on paper, but if we have never tried it, that is when we can have surprises. The difference between theory and practice is considerable and we must take the time to properly practice what we have planned,” says Dr. Bonnier Viger.

Dr. Bonnier Viger does not want to talk about legacy, because he has not finished his work. “With my role as director, having a participatory management approach, geared towards always allowing others to do the best they can do, I think it’s a winning formula,” he says.

He says he might have a little more free time once he is no longer involved in management. “My time was already very limited. I may have weeks that are a little more normal, but I won’t have a lot of free time. There are a lot of files that we have to put a lot of time into. I’ll have my work cut out for me to continue working 60 to 80 hours as I do,” he says.

“I’m in great shape. When you get older, you’re more likely to get sick. It’s better to be in positions that don’t affect too many people at the same time if something happens,” he says.

After his first stint as Director of Public Health for the Gaspé Peninsula and Magdalen Islands region in 2001-2002, he left to create the Public Health Department in Cree territory, a role he held until 2008.
He was then recruited by Laval University as a part-time coordinator of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, while also serving as a medical assistant to the Director of Public Health in Chaudière-Appalaches. In 2010, he became the department’s director. Dr. Bonnier Viger returned to the Gaspé Peninsula in 2016.

In a 2020 interview, Dr. Bonnier Viger set himself the goal of getting public health back on track after the Barrette reform, with a younger management team and remaining a medical advisor, a role he will officially take on in September.

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Local officials emphasize vigilance during measles outbreak

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

As of March 19, the Quebec government confirmed 21 cases of measles have been reported since the start of 2024, exposing several thousand individual to the highly contagious disease in Montreal, Laval, the Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, as well as the Laurentides regions.

The Centre integré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO) confirms there have been no cases reported in the Montérégie region to date. The regional health authority is however reminding the public to be on the lookout for possible symptoms, and to follow public health recommendations.

Each measles case reported in Quebec triggers a public health investigation to determine the source of the infection and to identify those who may have been exposed to the virus. According to the Direction de santé publique de la Montérégie (DSPM), only two of the 19 cases identified originated outside of Quebec, which suggests the disease is being transmitted within the province. The DSPM confirms that many of those considered to have been in contact with the potentially serious disease reside in the Montérégie, and an operation is underway to reach out to those who may be at risk.

The government is also maintaining a list of places and dates where people may have been exposed to a confirmed case of measles as of February 21, including locations such as the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, Montreal metro lines, as well as the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Ste-Justine Hospital, several daycares, different pharmacies, and businesses. The list is updated daily, and because the measles outbreak is a matter of public security, the information is available in English on the Quebec.ca website.

Vaccination is key

The CISSSMO is reporting an increase in the number of requests for measles vaccinations at local points of service. Those born before 1970, those with a medical certificate confirming they had measles before January 1, 1996, and those who have been vaccinated against the virus are considered adequately protected. The Quebec government is strongly encouraging those who are not protected to get the vaccine.

Information about measles was recently sent directly to parents of school-age children by local school boards and service centres following a directive from the Ministry of Health and Social Services. A representative for the CISSMO also confirms that “Teams are making telephone calls and are preparing written communications to reach the parents of children whose vaccination status is incomplete.”

The measles vaccine is available as part of the provincial immunization program at vaccination clinics for children aged 12 to 24 months at CLSCs in the Haut-Saint-Laurent. It is also available free of charge by appointment to older children and adults who are considered unprotected at local points of service in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Mercier, Les Côteaux, Chateauguay, Vaudreuil-Dorion, and Lacolle. Appointments can be scheduled via the clicsante.ca website, or by calling 1-877-817-5279.

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