Pandemic Portal

This page will provide you with useful links and resources concerning pandemic influenza. The site also provide updates regarding the status of Brink's Canada Limited should a pandemic influenza occur.

Links

Pandemic Influenza – Public Health Agency of Canada

WHO – Pandemic Preparedness

Ontario Health Plan for an Influenza Pandemic

Pandemic Preparedness

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified three distinct pandemic periods: the interpandemic period, when there are outbreaks of influenza in animals and/or birds, but no new influenza strains are detected in humans; the pandemic alert period, characterized by human outbreaks of a new influenza strain; and the pandemic period, with sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus in the general population.

Interpandemic

Phase 1: There have been no new influenza virus subtypes detected in humans that would signal the conditions required for a pandemic. Based on past evidence, the influenza viruses detected in animals are considered to be of low risk to humans.

Phase 2: There have been no new influenza virus subtypes detected in humans. However, a circulating animal influenza virus subtype poses a substantial risk of human disease. This assessment is based on various factors, such as past history of a similar strain causing serious illness in humans and the extent of the outbreaks in animals.

Pandemic Alert Period

Phase 3: A new influenza virus subtype is detected in humans. There may be rare instances of an infected individual spreading the virus to other individuals they have been in close contact with, but in general there is no evidence of the virus spreading easily among humans.

Phase 4: Small clusters of human-to-human spread of the virus are reported. But outbreaks are localized, which suggests that the virus does not spread easily to and among humans.

Pandemic Alert Elevated Period

Phase 5: One or more larger clusters are reported, but human-to-human spread is still localized, which suggests that the virus is becoming increasingly capable of infecting humans, but may not be fully transmissible (there is a substantial pandemic risk).

Pandemic Period

Phase 6: The virus is easily transmitted to and among humans, resulting in increased and sustained spread of the virus in the general population.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada