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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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% s' F+ O; l, g& N' ^ctvtoronto.ca0 B: X# ] T! W, C# `) w/ k$ f0 \
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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.3 f& B7 }2 x9 l9 F9 a
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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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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.2 q2 `7 `' ?4 z& u, S$ k
! F+ m; d. S4 t: _; cThe number of infected represents almost one in five campers and almost one in seven camp staffers at the affected camps.( g/ t4 y) H% Z: e* G3 u0 X2 `1 F5 M! k
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The cases developed in the past week. All are considered mild, meaning no one required hospitalization, Gardner said. p; v$ o1 w4 _5 [ F4 c6 p5 N1 n2 E
( s- L5 C( @- @' f4 A' s+ ?3 _& }6 V"The camps are working very closely with the health unit to implement what we call control measures," he said." T" G+ D' ]% ]$ [+ g c
9 S* m' b6 y( p0 WMost of the infected campers have been sent home to recover. Those who can't be sent home for whatever reason are in quarantine.
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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.7 [" _; X. C- a
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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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$ O( t f1 o' A4 _( Q9 ?: B3 w( xParents can help by making sure they aren't sending sick children to camp, Gardner said.1 {) j, S/ Z% k+ c. z- R( ~
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"Do not send your children to camp if they have any influenza-like illness," he said.
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- w6 h$ q/ t4 z& M) TThose 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.9 P+ Q0 v* u* ]6 C' y- W t. @. l
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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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