There are 16 new confirmed cases of swine flu in Manitoba, pushing the province's total to 56, health officials announced Wednesday.

There was no information provided by the province on the ages, gender or residences of the people confirmed to have the most recent cases.

Aboriginal leaders, however, told CBC News that five of the cases are people from the Burntwood health region in the province's far north, which includes a number of First Nations that have been struggling with outbreaks of a flu-like illness.

The World Health Organization this week stated it is on the verge of declaring the swine flu outbreak a pandemic. Acting assistant director-general, Keiji Fukuda, also said the organization is particularly concerned about the number of flu cases appearing recently within Manitoba's aboriginal population.

Schools and daycares closed, public events cancelled

Aboriginal leaders from northeastern Manitoba, part of a group called Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), held a press conference in Winnipeg on Wednesday, saying some communities are already dealing with a pandemic.

More than 200 people from St. Theresa Point First Nation have fallen ill since the start of last week. The majority of the ill are being treated in the community, located about 500 kilometres from Winnipeg.

Those with the most severe symptoms are now in Winnipeg, including two who are in critical condition and two others who have been confirmed to have swine flu. One of them is a woman who was pregnant but has since miscarried. Altogether, 27 people from the reserve have been flown to Winnipeg for treatment.

'The housing crisis is not new in First Nation communities [but] I think those problems are just magnified when you have an acute situation such as this.'—Dr. Marsha Anderson, Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada

Two cases of swine flu have also been confirmed at Garden Hill First Nation, near St. Theresa Point. Chief David Harper said schools and daycares are closed, public events have been cancelled and the band is sanitizing buses and police vehicles at least twice a day.

And in Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake), about 950 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, the community's clinics are packed, and so many children are sick with flu that the school has had to be closed, said health director Mike Moose.

The schools are also closed in South Indian Lake, 900 kilometres north of Winnipeg, due to suspected swine flu cases.

Harper and other chiefs are calling on the federal government to boost healthcare services and improve housing on reserves.

Many reserve homes are overcrowded, with more than a dozen people living in cramped quarters. Aboriginal leaders say the situation has created an ideal breeding ground for the virus to spread.

Dr. Marsha Anderson, president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, agreed. She told CBC News that poor conditions in those communities keep First Nations people from actively reducing their risk of contracting the swine flu.

"It's not acceptable. These are issues that are long standing — they're decades old," she said. "The housing crisis is not new in First Nation communities [but] I think those problems are just magnified when you have an acute situation such as this."

On-reserve health care substandard: First Nations

Aboriginal leaders also say the current level of health care on reserves is substandard. Garden Hill shares one doctor with another community and has nurses staffing the health station when the doctor is not around.

Christina Flett said she tried to get help for her son, Peter, several times last week, but was told by the nurses to give the 1½-year-old toddler cold baths and Tylenol.

Peter was eventually flown out by air ambulance and confirmed earlier this week to have swine flu, said Christine, who was part of the MKO press conference. Peter, who was released from hospital on Wednesday, was also at the press conference.

Garden Hill is the same reserve where a six-month-old boy died in March after being airlifted to Winnipeg. The feverish boy had been taken into the reserve's nursing station on at least three separate occasions by his mom, who was told to give him Tylenol and cold baths.

He was finally airlifted after suffering a seizure while at the station.

Four additional doctors and several more nurses were sent to St. Theresa Point. Chief David McDougal has been calling for a fully equipped field hospital to be set up in the community to serve St. Theresa as well as Garden Hill and other First Nations.

Harper said his community requested anti-viral drugs, gloves, masks and sanitization equipment from the province a month ago but nothing has been delivered.

Public asked to limit hospital visits with patients

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is asking the public to limit their visits to hospitals in order to reduce the spread of influenza.

"Being in a hospital is a stressful situation for patients, their family and friends," said Jan Currie, the WRHA's chief nursing officer. "We know having visitors helps lessen the stress and makes the stay more pleasant, but we are asking the public to use their best judgment when deciding who should visit and how often."

In order to provide the safest environment for patients, families and staff, the region is asking the public to follow the following guidelines:

• Stay home if you have been sick with a fever, cough and/or body aches and tiredness in the past 7 days.
• Limit the number of visitors in a patient's room at any given time.
• A maximum of two visitors at a time should be with patients in intensive care units.
• Wash your hands — when entering and leaving a patient-care unit — with the antimicrobial rinse gel provided by the doors.
• Follow and respect any signs or special precautions listed on the door to a patient's room or given verbally by a nurse or other staff.
• Cover your mouth with the crook of your arm if you cough.

The WRHA is also urging people to think carefully before bringing a child to hospital for a visit. Children under 12 years of age must be supervised at all times.

"It's important during times like this for people to use common sense," Currie said. "We know this may be inconvenient, but it is important for the health of our community."