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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 C3 k! Z1 \: v9 \8 n
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ctvtoronto.ca* x; J) t: w! K1 ~/ q- p
, k& O0 n1 h# P! L1 M+ D# CThe Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is reporting that 227 young people at three summer camps in cottage country have developed H1N1 flu.. x$ u, p, `; R+ d& b! y; F/ j, `
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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.; B' S- P; z: m- [1 _: V
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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.. n: O5 B1 U7 F
6 C( P8 u( s# KThe number of infected represents almost one in five campers and almost one in seven camp staffers at the affected camps.
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The cases developed in the past week. All are considered mild, meaning no one required hospitalization, Gardner said.
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, m4 t% G! G: w2 U% T$ J"The camps are working very closely with the health unit to implement what we call control measures," he said.2 ^3 Z5 J, z" w
( P5 I+ P$ r' S3 hMost of the infected campers have been sent home to recover. Those who can't be sent home for whatever reason are in quarantine.; `7 D, j: M8 x. Y+ }
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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.* k0 Q8 k) J" f9 M% d( Z4 x# p
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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.6 T% y& n' E' ]3 J8 Y8 J3 k
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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.+ c: T9 J2 k( T( s1 T* {- O
9 _# _' i5 _; }; h: S" JThose 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./ M5 [, Y$ |" Z* }7 }- e" V
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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.1 l; C! e. y& H1 T
( Q: C" F L' e5 EHowever, 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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