A3

TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

The laboratory at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital in Moncton will serve as the province's central testing and co-ordination site should New Brunswick be hit by an influenza pandemic or epidemics, Health Minister Mike Murphy said on Monday.

Enlarge Photo

GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT

Aldea Landry, chair of the Board of Directors Health Region A, and New Brunswick Health Minister Mike Murphy chat before a press conference where he announced that the laboratory at the Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital will be the site of central testing and co-ordination in the event of an influenza pandemic or similar epidemics in the province.

According to Murphy, New Brunswick needs its own facility to conduct influenza tests because the national lab in Winnipeg would be unable to assist the province during a pandemic.

He said the local lab would play a central role in dealing with a potential outbreak and protecting New Brunswickers from the spread of illness.

"New Brunswick must be prepared for pandemic influenza or outbreaks of other highly infectious diseases," Murphy said in a release.

According to the Health Department, an influenza pandemic can occur when the virus undergoes a radical change and forms a new strain that humans have little or no immunity to. Three to four pandemics occur each century, Murphy noted.

He estimates that an influenza pandemic would affect at least 35 per cent of the local population.

"In light of this scenario, it's very clear that New Brunswickers must be prepared for such an eventuality," said the Moncton North MLA in a brief speech.

"In the face of an influenza pandemic, we have to be ready to do everything we can to prevent cases of serious illness, save lives and limit disruption in our society."

Murphy also said the Dumont lab will allow health care workers to better carry out the province's pandemic influenza plan.