Enterovirus D68: Where is it in Canada?

WATCH ABOVE: A serious respiratory illness that’s been spreading through parts of the United States has now crossed the border into Canada. There’s always a spike in viruses when kids return to school, but the severity of this strain of Enterovirus is raising concern. Shirlee Engel explains.

TORONTO – Dozens of kids are showing up in Canadian hospitals with respiratory illnesses – some of which have been confirmed as enterovirus D68, a rare disease that’s caused outbreaks across the U.S.

Enteroviruses are a group of viruses comprised of more than 100 different types of strains, according to Canadian microbiologist and author Jason Tetro.

“Each one has a particular structure and, as a result, a different function,” he told Global News.

Only some affect humans and enterovirus D68 happens to be one of them.

READ MORE: Is enterovirus D68 on Canadian health officials’ radar?

In healthy adults, enterovirus wouldn’t lead to any serious concerns, but it’s young kids who are most vulnerable – especially if they have additional respiratory issues.

Right now, the Public Health Agency of Canada has its hands full with testing. While cases in Alberta and B.C. each have confirmed cases, clusters of mild and severe illnesses are popping up in other provinces.

“The cause of the respiratory illnesses in these additional clusters has not yet been identified. The agency’s National Microbiology Laboratory is providing guidance and assisting these provinces with additional testing of samples of the EV-D68 subtype,” the federal agency’s spokesman Robert Cyrenne said.

He said PHAC is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with provinces and territories, along with U.S. public health officials.

The government has even issued a public health alert to more than 4,000 health professionals across the country to keep vigilant for potential cases.

Here’s a province-by-province look at where confirmed and potential cases have surfaced.

In Alberta:

Alberta Health Services confirmed 18 cases of the enterovirus since August after testing about 100 kids. All of the cases were in hospitalized patients under the age of 18. Five were in Edmonton and 10 were in Calgary.

READ MORE: Alberta Health Services confirms 18 cases of enterovirus D68

WATCH ABOVE: Su-Ling Goh has more on Enterovirus D68 in the province, and what Alberta Health Services wants parents to know.

Hospitals across the province are seeing more children with respiratory viruses lately, but Alberta’s chief medical officer, Dr. James Talbot, says it’s routine.

“Every fall at this time, you’ll have people going, ‘oh my kids came home with something, or there’s something circulating in the office.’ And it’s often enterovirus and this time we know it’s D68,” Talbot told Global Edmonton.

“But we haven’t had any deaths and we’re seeing activity that’s increased as it normally is this time of year.”

In Ontario:

Watch: Crystal Goomansingh takes a look at Enterovirus D68 and whether its made its way to Ontario. 

In Windsor, Ont., health officials diagnosed 11 children with respiratory issues, but keep in mind: there’s no confirmation that it’s EV-D68.

“Testing has been submitted to the Public Health Laboratories (in Ontario) with results within one to two weeks,” Windsor Regional Hospital spokesman Ron Foster told Global News.

“However, despite the results, the treatment plan remains the same. That is, use of oxygen treatment and aerosol medication.”

The health authority is also telling families to keep their kids at home if they’re feeling sick.

A potential case has also been reported in Oakville.

British Columbia:

On Sept. 16, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control confirmed three cases of enterovirus.

READ MORE: 3 cases of enterovirus confirmed in B.C.

At the onset, the West Coast province didn’t have any confirmed testing for EV-D68 yet, and wasn’t testing for potential cases. This isn’t strange – because it’s so similar to the common cold, testing is required to confirm what the infection is. PHAC says it conducts tests upon requests from provincial health bodies. Since 1999, it’s identified only 82 cases of EV-D68 in the country.

Saskatchewan:

Cases haven’t been reported in this province either. Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer says there’s no cause for concern.

“So far this year we have not seen an unusual increase, last year we saw five isolates of D68. This year we’ve just seen one over August so nothing unusual from our side,” said Dr. Saqib Shahab.

WATCH ABOVE: A serious respiratory illness that’s been spreading through parts of the United States has now crossed the border into Canada. As Meaghan Craig reports, with a possible case in Saskatchewan, provincial health officials are watching the situation closely.

READ MORE: Sask. health officials closely monitor enterovirus D68 situation

“But obviously we’ve been monitoring this as well as we’ll be monitoring hospitalizations but so far it seems like another routine start of the school year.”

Nova Scotia:

The province told Global News, Tuesday that it’s working on a way to test for potential cases within its district instead of having to send samples to Winnipeg.

“This virus, enterovirus, is around every year especially during the summer and causes summer colds. What is it about this strain that’s causing more severe illness than usual, I think nobody is clear on that,” said Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Strang.

READ MORE: Enterovirus could make its way to Nova Scotia, doctors say

No cases have been reported in Nova Scotia, but Strang said he is keeping a close eye on the situation.

“We certainly have the capacity to detect this. If we start to see increased clusters in viral illnesses in emergency room visits and hospitalizations, we have a system in place in general to detect that and to work with our labs to determine what the cause is,” Strang said.

Quebec:

A spokesperson for the Montreal Children’s Hospital told Global News that although there are no confirmed cases at that hospital, there have been patients with respiratory symptoms.

READ MORE: Montreal health officials keeping an eye on Enterovirus D68

“A few patients with respiratory symptoms were tested, but we will only get the results in a couple weeks,” Stephanie Tsirgiotis noted.

How to protect your kids from EV-D68

Enteroviruses, such as EV-D68, are related to the common cold virus and can spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing, by close contact with infected persons or by touching a contaminated surface.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says the most effective measures you can do to protect yourself and children against enteroviruses such as EV-D68 are:

• Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
  · If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer.
  · Wash your hands: before and after eating, after you have been in a public place, after using the washroom, after coughing and sneezing, after touching common surfaces

• Cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand
•  Keep your hands away from your face
• Keep common surface areas clean and disinfected
• If you get sick, stay home
• Ensure your immunizations are up to date

– With files from Su-Ling Goh, Julia Wong, Amanda Kelly and Meaghan Craig.

carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
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