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H1N1 flu outbreak reported at Ontario summer camps; r1 `) r6 q3 F
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Updated: Wed Jul. 15 2009 3:50:08 PM
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ctvtoronto.ca
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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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+ G3 s! Z# e; b8 N. Q& ~) VDr. 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.
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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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The number of infected represents almost one in five campers and almost one in seven camp staffers at the affected camps.! M/ v% S- L& z0 o0 P! j$ h
0 P; h/ F, `" t& GThe cases developed in the past week. All are considered mild, meaning no one required hospitalization, Gardner said.4 c) O, S( s# D6 {; ^9 m9 n. ^% i9 p/ C9 G
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"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.% e* E) ^- i6 S# S4 H3 z- F
4 C# R# k# C3 vGardner 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.0 x8 F5 Q* r" n. ~5 H1 j9 V1 I
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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.
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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.
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* Q( d! n8 B) _- G0 g- b l) F5 N; sThose 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.% _, M4 k% b; @8 [
% l5 [3 r: M, e" b: I9 nGardner said the district thought there could be some outbreaks at camps this summer, given that some cases had occurred in schools.+ M i: }$ ?' ]: K1 \- \3 ]
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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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