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The Canadian Blood Services (CBS) announced it plans to have a test to screen blood donors for West Nile virus in place by July 1. The nucleic acid-based test is in the final stages of development by Roche Diagnostics (Canada), so the agency has developed contingency plans in case the test isn't ready for the target start date. Chief among the contingency plans is that CBS has begun stockpiling frozen plasma, which has a shelf-life of 12 months. HÉma-QuÉbec also plans to use the Roche test. In 2002, three Canadians were suspected of contracting WNV infections through blood transfusion. In the US, there were 14 confirmed cases.
The Quebec government has announced new investment totalling $845 million as part of its plan to relaunch the health-care system. The lion's share of $556 million goes to primary care. The rest, $289 million, will be spent to reduce hospital waiting lists.