Ottawa's medical officer of health says the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus has stabilized even though about 350 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the capital.

Seven people are currently being treated in hospital for the virus. Just over 50 residents have been hospitalized since the end of April, half of whom were under 18. The majority of hospitalized patients had an underlying medical condition.

Although Levy said the situation in Ottawa is stable for now, he warned another local wave of the virus is likely.

"I would certainly caution against thinking that this is yesterday's story," said Dr. Isra Levy, in the first of a series of weekly updates to the media.

The virus routinely appears in waves of six to eight weeks, and the beginning of flu season is expected to be a critical time.

The current model forecasts that 40-42 patients would require ventilation on any given day in Ottawa.

Officials at the hospital say they are now working on a plan to deal with the next wave of H1N1 flu. The hospital already has stockpiles of supplies and ventilators in place. The next step is dealing with staffing and available beds.

"Because our occupancy is high, because we have critical supplies, we can't wait two, three, four, five weeks to say, 'Okay, now we have to move on this," said Thomas Hayes, director of Emergency Preparedness at the Ottawa Hospital.

Meantime, Levy maintains residents should remain vigilant at protecting themselves against the H1N1 flu. He advised using precautions such as washing hands frequently and coughing or sneezing into a sleeve.

"I reiterate that every member of our community has a role to play in helping minimize the amount of spread of this and many other infections," Levy said.

Symptoms of the H1N1 flu may include:

  • fever
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • muscle aches
  • fatigue
  • severe headache
  • sore throat
  • lack of appetite

Residents who have general questions about the virus are asked to call the Eastern Ontario Health Unit at 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Natalie Pierosara