Seventeen new cases of A/H1N1 flu were confirmed in Canada on Friday, bringing the total to 51 in the country. All cases in Canada have been mild and there have been no deaths.

The province of Ontario confirmed four additional cases Friday, after British Columbia confirmed four new cases, Nova Scotia six, Alberta two and New Brunswick recorded its first case.

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell cautioned that more cases will be confirmed with some deaths possible.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Friday urged the public not to panic, saying health officials are working in a coordinated manner to keep track of the flu and deal with the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and Chief Public Health Officer David Butler-Jones have announced further actions in response to the outbreak, including increasing disease surveillance, ensuring antiviral stockpile be mobilized quickly, anew awareness campaign to educate the public and others.

Canada's 55 million doses of antiviral stockpile have been distributed to provinces and territories and there are additional amounts to be used as backup, officials said.

The government has also begun discussions with Glaxo Smith-KlineInc. to make a vaccine should one be developed.

(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2009)