Sixth Death from H1N1 Flu Virus

Josh Pringle
Thursday, November 5, 2009

A sixth Ottawa resident has died from the H1N1 flu virus.

Ottawa Public Health says the unidentified male who tested positive for the virus had chronic medical conditions when he passed away over the past week.

Officials now say there are 213 confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu virus in Ottawa since the start of September, including 44 over the past week.

Public Health announced on Wednesday that 136 out of the 348 schools in Ottawa are now reporting absenteeism rates over 10 per cent.

Meantime, all Ottawa hospital emergency rooms have imposed visitor restrictions, saying only sick people and one essential caregiver should come to an ER for treatment.

Dr. Lindy Sampson also urged people who are not feeling well to avoid visiting patients at Ottawa hospitals.

Sampson told reporters over the last week, emergency department volumes are up 10 to 25 per cent compared with other years. Sampson adds between 20 and 70 per cent of the patients have respiratory symptoms, while a third have influenza like symptoms.

The Montfort Hospital birthing centre is asking women to only have their partner and one other support person accompany them to the hospital.