Flu activity in Montréal

Here's the scoop: Results of most recent survey on flu-like symptoms in Montréal

Over the last week, almost 550 people signed up to the GrippeMontréal site.

Although this number is fairly high, it isn't enough to produce reliable Internet data on the presence of flu-like symptoms among Montrealers. The GrippeMontréal team needs about 1500 participants to prepare a more reliable profile of the situation. Spread the word to people you know!

Following the state of the population's health through an Internet survey presents several methodological challenges. Our team of statisticians and specialists in survey methods is working very hard to rapidly produce results that will be useful when decisions have to be made regarding the health of all Montrealers.

Your participation in the GrippeMontréal Internet survey will help us produce a weekly profile of the range of flu-like symptoms in Montréal. This is an innovative project since we'll be able to disseminate results in near real time. Until then, we suggest that you be the first to have a look at the results of the most recent surveys carried out by Montréal's public health department.

NEW! Results of the latest survey

Since we want you to know how much we appreciate your participation, we're keeping our promise of making sure you are the first to receive the results of the the public health department's most recent surveys on influenza. These results stem from telephone survey of Montrealers to find out about their state of health related to the flu and influenza-like illness (ILI).

Last July, the Direction de santé publique, in collaboration with the CROP polling firm, conducted a major telephone survey about the presence of flu-like symptoms among Montrealers.

The results of this survey, conducted last July, are available here in a synthesis report.

At the end of October, we carried out another telephone survey on flu-like symptoms; this one involved a representative sample of 1080 Montreal households.

Results show that between 15 September 2009 and 15 October 2009, 6% of Montrealers had had flu-like symptoms. This equals over 100 000 people in Montréal.

Note that people who had flu-like symptoms didn't necessarily have influenza A(H1N1). It is highly likely that flu-like symptoms are attributable to other conditions, especially in early fall in Montréal.

The following figure shows that children aged 0 to 4 years were the ones most affected during the period targeted in the survey.

According to flu surveillance data for Montréal, from 15 September to 15 October 2009, there were

• 1883 calls made to Info-Santé concerning flu-like symptoms;
• 4047 visits to emergency for flu-like symptoms;
• 18 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza (H1N1);
• no deaths attributable to influenza A(H1N1) recorded during this period.

Data from the population survey carried out at the end of October give us a better estimate of the extent of the flu among the population as a whole, and not only among people who used healthcare services.

The data for the period 15 September to 15 October 2009 is brand new. This information helps us follow the evolution of the flu and enables us to have a better understanding of how a flu pandemic can affect the population.

However, given the delays involved when collecting information through telephone surveys, the data always refer to past situations. That's why your participation to GrippeMontréal is so important to us!

Your participation to the GrippeMontréal Internet survey will considerably reduce the time between the survey (that is, your weekly participation) and publication of results. It's interesting for us and for you!

More to come...