Gynecologist André Fortier gets his H1N1 vaccination from Marie-Noël Ouellette in Longueuil, Que. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

Montreal public health officials say they don't plan to accelerate the H1N1 vaccination campaign, despite a steady increase in swine flu cases since Tuesday.

The number of schools on the island reporting cases of the flu doubled in a single day, officials said Wednesday.

In all, the Montreal Public Health Department said, five elementary schools and three high schools reported outbreaks on Tuesday. Eight other schools had already reported flu among students.

In total, 95 cases of H1N1 have been confirmed in Montreal. Twelve patients have been hospitalized, and two are in intensive care.

Widespread vaccination started at 56 different medical sites across the island Wednesday morning, public health officials said.

The first round of doses targets medical staff and seriously ill patients in hospitals, before priority groups such as pregnant women and children are called as of Nov. 6.

David Levine, director general of Montreal's Public Health Agency, said a second wave of the flu is spreading but the situation is under control.

Indicators such as new diagnoses, test requests and calls to the city's health information line indicate that "people are either more worried, or have more symptoms than even a month ago," Levine said at a news conference.

Dr. Harley Eisman, director of emergency service at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, said concerns about the flu have doubled the number of patients in the emergency room.

But so far, two-thirds of the cases have not been serious enough to warrant emergency care, Eisman said.

"These are children who require fever control and hydration — sort of apple juice, chicken soup, and close observation by their parents."

Not enough doses yet

Dr. Richard Lessard, Montreal’s director of public health, said there are no plans to accelerate the vaccination of the general public because there simply isn’t enough vaccine to go around yet.

"We know that there will be pressure from parents, who will be more concerned because of the deaths that occurred in other provinces," Lessard said.

"Right now, the decision in the province is to stay with the current priorities — but … if the [epidemiological] situation changes, we have to be prepared to consider alternatives."

Lessard said officials hope to have more than 100,000 health-care workers and gravely ill patients vaccinated by the end of next week.

Quebec's Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is recommending that health officials advance the vaccination schedules for pregnant women past 20 weeks' gestation, regardless of concerns about the adjuvant in the vaccine.

The association is recommending pregnant women at 20 weeks or more be inoculated immediately, even if it is with a dose containing the adjuvant, a chemical that boosts the body's immune-system reaction.

There are concerns about the adjuvant's side-effects during pregnancy.