FluWatch 2012-2013

FluWatch is Canada's national surveillance system that monitors the spread of flu and flu-like illnesses on an on-going basis. The FluWatch program consists of a network of labs, hospitals, doctor's offices and provincial and territorial ministries of health. Program objectives include to: • Detect flu outbreaks across the country as early as possible • Provide timely up-to-date information on flu activity in Canada and abroad to health professionals [and interested Canadians] • Monitor circulating strains of the flu virus (like H1N1) and assess their sensitivity to antiviral medications, [such as Tamiflu and Relenza]. Antivirals, when used by doctors to treat flu, can help reduce the severity of the illness and the recovery time for a patient • Provide information that the World Health Organization can use to make its recommendations on the best vaccine to use for seasonal flu shots.

Publisher

Public Health Agency of Canada

Resources

18

Catalogue metadata updated

2025-10-30