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H1N1 flu outbreak reported at Ontario summer camps
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Updated: Wed Jul. 15 2009 3:50:08 PM
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ctvtoronto.ca/ S9 g1 D5 V5 z6 m% H9 k
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The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is reporting that 227 young people at three summer camps in cottage country have developed H1N1 flu.
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Dr. Charles Gardner, the district's chief medical officer of health, told ctvtoronto.ca on Wednesday that the district isn't saying which three camps are involved." g N! V5 w6 y- \
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The lakeland area of central Ontario covered by the district has 71 registered camps. The three camps involved had 1,275 campers and 480 staff, he said.
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/ i: m' L( O/ A1 v. K. J( yThe number of infected represents almost one in five campers and almost one in seven camp staffers at the affected camps.! `) p; E! @ ~ ^
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The cases developed in the past week. All are considered mild, meaning no one required hospitalization, Gardner said.2 T0 @$ W. ]6 E
* N0 \3 G/ X0 A v"The camps are working very closely with the health unit to implement what we call control measures," he said.9 }2 \, T/ ~' h# ]" ~3 E
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Most of the infected campers have been sent home to recover. Those who can't be sent home for whatever reason are in quarantine.& q! s* k+ |8 u0 y: X# p& N$ {
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Gardner said the district is also having all camps tell all parents in writing that "this is an unusual year" -- referring to the outbreak of H1N1, which the World Health Organization has declared a pandemic.
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"They need to be aware of H1N1 influenza, that we've had three outbreaks to date and there's the possibility we could have others," he said.( g9 H+ _( ]& a$ ^( w3 q
5 l, ~- i0 [- m, A2 x9 g9 ZParents can help by making sure they aren't sending sick children to camp, Gardner said.
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"Do not send your children to camp if they have any influenza-like illness," he said.. L3 Q& o8 a8 R$ N
- ?0 C7 A! K5 B- mThose symptoms include fever, cough, sore throats or a general sense of malaise. "If that's happening within seven days of them coming to a camp, they should not go," he said.
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" r3 S6 b4 @6 v) |: D' qGardner said the district thought there could be some outbreaks at camps this summer, given that some cases had occurred in schools.1 G0 T& }% ?1 l2 o# K9 J
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However, normally the district is usually more focused on working with camps to prevent outbreaks of gastroenteric diseases and on injury prevention, he said. |
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