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INUVIK - While the number of swine flu cases continues to rise in Canada, including a severe case involving a young girl hospitalized in Edmonton, the NWT remains free of the virus, according to the territory's health minister.

"To date there have been no confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza in the Northwest Territories," said health minister Sandy Lee, referring to the new official name for swine flu at a press conference on Monday.

Health Minister Sandy Lee, left, and Dr. Kami Kandola, acting chief medical health officer, update the press on the swine flu situation Monday. No swine flu cases had been reported in the territory as of Monday. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

Still, Lee said that simple hygiene will help curb the spread of not only swine flu, but of seasonal flu as well.

"Simple hygienic practices such as washing your hands and covering your mouth (when coughing or sneezing) will help to prevent the spread of the influenza," said Lee.

The World Health Organization raised the swine flu alert to Phase V last week, officially declaring a pandemic. As of yesterday, 1,124 cases have been confirmed worldwide in 21 countries. There have been 140 cases reported in Canada, including 24 in Alberta.

Dr. Kami Kandola, the NWT's acting chief medical officer, said despite the absence of confirmed cases in the territory, health officials here are preparing for a Phase VI - the highest alert on the scale.

"At some point, the World Health Organization may consider going to Phase VI. I think it's inevitable if you base it on the spread of transmission," said Kandola.

"But does it change what we're doing now? We have been acting as though it were a Phase VI in terms of getting the message out, and our clinical guidelines, and getting the antivirals ready."

The pandemic classification scale is based on the rate of transmission of the disease, not the severity, Kandola told the media.

She said most cases reported to date have been very mild, with symptoms subsiding after seven days - after which it is not considered contagious anymore.

"We have on hand the two antivirals the flu is sensitive to," said Kandola

"One is Tamiflu, one is Rolenza - and in the pandemic plan, as a stockpile we need to have on hand enough Tamiflu and Rolenza to treat 16 per cent of the population - and that's what we have."

Kandola said physicians will not use the antivirals for mild cases, but save it for moderate or severe cases - if and when cases begin to appear in the NWT.

Kandola said of the 80 calls the NWT's toll-free hotline has received so far, 35 have matched the criteria and warranted a swab test. The length of time it takes to process a swab test can take up to seven days. The criteria has also changed in the last week.

"Initially, the screening criteria was for people who had influenza-like symptoms, with a travel history to Mexico. We expanded it to effected areas. We've also expanded it to people who have come from the (U.S.) and other areas of Canada," said Kandola.

As well, Kandola said planning for a public education campaign is underway.

"We've had two teleconferences last week and we brought in environmental health officers and health promotion people to (help with) local health awareness campaigns. The best strategy at a local community level is flu prevention. Those type of messages - how to wash your hands, how to protect yourself from the flu, the best way to cough or sneeze - are best delivered locally, in school settings. We are in the process of developing those materials."