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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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K9 V' v. n. N* Tctvtoronto.ca* w/ L. q7 }; } g! y+ F# y, [6 Q2 w3 ]
8 K% [3 D$ ^, W; hThe 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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) j, i! Z4 W1 S2 M3 C% x0 k& z! h( rDr. 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.8 f1 `! V, g. N& w: f
1 j/ F a& L# J+ _% T `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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The number of infected represents almost one in five campers and almost one in seven camp staffers at the affected camps.7 [1 m& o, _2 L0 d0 s
0 e* m5 S K3 |3 T5 c- p" f9 a# gThe cases developed in the past week. All are considered mild, meaning no one required hospitalization, Gardner said.
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1 L4 u; u) Q* O1 Q9 J# x. a5 \"The camps are working very closely with the health unit to implement what we call control measures," he said.
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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.: g4 k) _+ A& E; j. g
/ W$ M% r8 n9 sGardner 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.' t5 O2 z. `, G
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Parents 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.$ W# P% z- b# ?- V- U
0 C o8 D" ^! O8 Z( D+ D$ fThose 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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Gardner said the district thought there could be some outbreaks at camps this summer, given that some cases had occurred in schools.' G3 x" {* |* M* b3 x) G
6 ]% t( y9 |4 D6 V3 C2 \! {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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