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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" E* a* x n. @# v1 `% }+ ~6 a9 }3 R
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ctvtoronto.ca
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; J' S4 x: n IThe 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.
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# m6 c% t! p% n$ r- |% pThe 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.& b, |. A3 _. Q9 E# T% L4 t
8 z8 ~* P& A3 t8 ~2 a# TThe number of infected represents almost one in five campers and almost one in seven camp staffers at the affected camps.
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( k6 D6 H7 ^3 {0 g0 N* f; ]& rThe cases developed in the past week. All are considered mild, meaning no one required hospitalization, Gardner said.
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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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+ s, [5 u' c/ {! B" IMost of the infected campers have been sent home to recover. Those who can't be sent home for whatever reason are in quarantine./ ]" {$ t9 Y$ T# i
- r' ]. ]5 A/ I% y. dGardner 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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1 r# Q h" g1 \& ~; H1 \1 r"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.4 J. v t. n8 k, c9 ?9 o( O
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Parents can help by making sure they aren't sending sick children to camp, Gardner said.3 X. a) `) y& E) a7 m2 T/ O
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"Do not send your children to camp if they have any influenza-like illness," he said.
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Those 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.6 e$ m: h | L$ h# D* [+ J# M
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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.
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- Y0 I o& Q1 K9 c& a( CHowever, 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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