B.C. recorded three more deaths from the H1N1 flu virus, bringing the total to 15, the B.C. health ministry reported Tuesday. Since Oct. 27, there have been 162 new severe cases of H1N1 identified in B.C. — 79 in Fraser Health, 50 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 17 in Interior Health, eight on Vancouver Island and eight in Northern Health. This brings the number of confirmed severe H1N1 cases in British Columbia since April 2009 to 361.

Of the three new deaths, two were in Fraser Health and one in Vancouver Coastal Health. All three had underlying medical conditions.

In response to the update, Dr. David Butler-Jones, chief public health officer of Canada, told reporters in Vancouver Tuesday that "every death and preventable death is one that is tragic and we wish we could avoid. We are working as hard as we can across this country and across the world to minimize that."

Butler-Jones added that "it's really important that all the measures that we have in play, that we do them. People who are sick should avoid other people. If they get more seriously ill, they need to get medical treatment. If they have underlying risk conditions, get on anti-virals.

"And when it comes time to get your vaccine, get it for yourself to protect yourself and others."

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, also in Vancouver, defended the decision by Ottawa and the provinces to develop a pandemic strategy based on a single vaccine supplier, GlaxoSmithKline.

"We are doing better on a per capita basis than any other country that has more than one factory," said Aglukkaqu.

Butler-Jones similarly said that "other countries with multiple suppliers are having much more difficulty than we are as we move forward."

Aglukkaq said that every Canadian will have access to the vaccine by December.