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H1N1 flu outbreak reported at Ontario summer camps
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' [6 w3 P# \2 T. f" x( a0 a$ [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.; C0 R- {( ?7 \8 ^
0 Z6 k, @& n. 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.6 n& C' ]: |6 M. q+ p
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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.0 X! u. G6 z9 ^/ a B/ E2 d' v
/ i1 h( P& I- t9 xThe number of infected represents almost one in five campers and almost one in seven camp staffers at the affected camps.% Y: k6 E8 J) N
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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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"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. h4 a' f) _' [& B; Y' q8 }8 Y
" D5 L" j+ y9 ^7 V' {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.
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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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& e. A* N) ~5 ?* t5 m0 H$ P& bParents 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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4 ^: g# J! C* c7 @4 W4 ~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.
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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.( @# w! p" W8 T3 G7 z/ m) S; ^
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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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