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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.ca7 ?2 t: x+ b5 E
+ u7 {, R' T2 z' e- U! e$ a5 ^The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is reporting that 227 young people at three summer camps in cottage country have developed H1N1 flu.* K) e* @9 `6 q
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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. z' r6 I$ _8 h
/ J% h$ |! n! U8 B0 D" dThe 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.& P+ p; d* z* T$ M, d/ L
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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.: A5 G7 J. G o/ k2 d& I
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The cases developed in the past week. All are considered mild, meaning no one required hospitalization, Gardner said.6 ]0 C% G3 ]; X. U
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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.! ?) d i2 b: g6 K
% E; c) g7 ]" p& I, n# rGardner 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.$ W% }3 Z0 r/ K! C
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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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- h, T: j- R8 P' ?9 a+ }7 |$ N: H2 ?' HParents can help by making sure they aren't sending sick children to camp, Gardner said.: ~* h* j( f7 E& S, d8 {5 y
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"Do not send your children to camp if they have any influenza-like illness," he said.2 A: S9 J: g6 n* n4 a
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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.$ P7 K5 S; H, c' L- S. g
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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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- y9 Y3 p; \2 j# E- d0 b/ IHowever, 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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