HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-01-12, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2000.
School back in, health unit waits for impact
By Scott Hilgendorf
Huron Expositor Staff
While the Huron County Health
Unit is waiting to see what happens
with area children back in school
this week, it is not calling the
current flu outbreak an epidemic.
Marlene Price, Community
Health Manager, said doctors at the
Goderich Hospital, which has taken
extra measures such as limiting the
number of visitors to the hospital,
might not agree but a look at the
rest of the county does not show as
severe a picture.
“We have flu. We have lots of flu
in the county but I’m not sure I’d
call it an epidemic,” said Price.
The current influenza A strain
that hit Huron County at the end of
December has closed eight long
term care facilities and is
responsible for the deaths of five
Huron County residents in those
facilities.
Recent years have seen only five
or six facilities close.
“Any death is unfortunate but it’s
not out of the ordinary,” said Price
of the number of people who have
died from the flu.
Right now, she said it doesn’t
look worse than usual but it will
depend on how the rest of the
season goes.
Flu outbreaks usually occur
between November and March with
Huron County tending to start a
little later than other regions,
although Price does not know why
that happens.
This season started in December
and could last as long as March.
However, Price doesn’t see the
Fed. minister to attend fundraiser
Nick Whyte, president of the
Huron-Bruce (Federal) Liberal
Association, announced that the
Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister
of Human Resources Development,
will be the guest speaker at the
upcoming Liberal fundraiser, A
Menu for the Millennium.
The event will be held at the
Goderich Twp. Hall in Holmesville
on Feb. 3.
Whyte said, “Stemming from the
fact that Minister Stewart hails
from Brant County, she has a clear
understanding of the affairs
affecting southern Ontario. This,
when mixed with the reality that
she is in charge of the largest
federal department in Canada, puts
her in the unique position of having
the ability to formulate and to act
upon a truly local perspective
toward national affairs. With this, I
am eager to hear her comments.”
Paul Steckle, the Member of
Parliament for Huron-Bruce, also
expressed his anticipation
concerning the Minister’s visit.
“Over the years I have had the
pleasure of working with the
Minister on a number of projects.
Minister Stewart has, both as a
backbencher and as a Minister,
clearly demonstrated her genuine
personality and abilities.”
“It should also be noted that, in
her capacity as head of HRDC,
Minister Stewart is directly in
charge of administering important
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current flu bug getting any worse.
This past weekend, there were no
new outbreaks reported in any of
the long-term care facilities in the
county, one of the areas the health
unit monitors closely during flu
season, and no more facilities
closed their doors.
Last week, Seaforth Manor
Nursing Home and Retirement
Home, closed, counting as two of
the eight facilities tnat shut their
doors to visitors in an attempt to
control the spread of flu.
Maplewood Manor remains
open.
Price said the first outbreak this
season was reported in a school,
another area the unit closely
monitors.
With students back in school,
they will be watching the absentee
rates reported by principals and
will be concerned if the rate
reaches about 10 per cent in
elementary schools and 12 per cent
in high schools. If more than one-
third of the county’s schools report
that rate, coupled with what reports
they are receiving from emergency
rooms at hospitals, the health unit
will take another look at whether or
not this is an epidemic situation.
Seaforth Community Hospital
reports scheduling trouble after
some nursing staff came down with
the flu and a busy emergency room,
particularly on the New Year’s
weekend when the Seaforth
Medical Clinic was closed, but
have not had to take any serious
measures to combat the flu within
the facility.
“We’ve had many, many people
coming in,” said Mary Cardinal,
clinical site leader at the hospital.
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Patients with the flu are kept in
isolation, a standard procedure, to
control its spread to other patients
and Cardinal said this year, the
number of staff members who have
had their flu shots is up by 25 per
cent.
“More of our staff our
immunized this year,” she said.
They have been helping patients
with the flu since about Christmas
Day
“We have not taken any special
precautions yet outside our normal
routine,” said Cardinal.
Medical Officer of Health Beth
Henning recently announced that
people should not go to the
emergency rooms with the flu
because there is nothing they can
do for them.
“There’s nothing to be prescribed
for the flu,” said Cardinal. “If you
have the flu, stay home.”
The current virus has not been
identified yet and will take two to
three weeks to determine but is
believed to the Sydney strain,
included in this year’s vaccines.
With announcements in the
media this week about a possible
flu pandemic, a country-wide
epidemic that takes thousands of
lives, Price said the normal
precautions the health unit takes
each year will help them be
prepared for this possibility.
They work with long-term care
facilities annually to go over plans
for controlling flu outbreaks, an
area of particular concern because
of the frailty of some seniors who
can die from the flu.
Price said the key is the supply of
vaccine for the outbreaks but said
most occur first in Asian countries
program. In addition, Minister
Stewart is the Cabinet Minister
with special regional responsibility
for Huron-Bruce. I look forward to
her visit,” Steckle said.
and allow North America to
prepare a vaccine that includes
those strains.
Before the flu arrives in Canada,
people will have had a chance to be
immunized against the particular
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strains.
Price said everyone not allergic
to the vaccine should receive a flu
shot each year.
This would help prepare for any
possible pandemics.
n
Na. •: