Prince George, B.C. - Another ten cases of H1N1 virus have been identified in British Columbia bringing the B.C. total of confirmed cases to 39. That number includes the 4 confirmed cases within the Northern Health region.

Across Canada there are 140 confirmed cases.

 

While the majority of cases in Canada, are from people ho have returned from Mexico, or who have had contact with people from Mexico, there are some secondary transmission cases as well.

 

In its last daily meeting with media, the B.C. Centre for disease control says the cases detected outside Mexico have been mild. “We certainly haven’t seen the death rates or hospitalization that was seen in Mexico” says Dr. Danuta Skowronski with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, there have only been two cases in B.C. that required overnight hospitalization. She says the vast majority of cases have been mild, but it is still influenza, “It is still an unpleasant illness” and it would be incorrect to treat this as an insignificant illness.

 

She says with any flu, there are some who are higher risk of severity than others, for instance, those who have underlying conditions. She says people with chronic conditions should consider isolating themselves from those who display flu like symptoms.  The incubation period of the H1N1 flu ranges from 2-7 days.

 

She says there is a strong possibilty this flu will return in the fall "Your public health  officials will not be getting a break  this  summer,  they  will be working to prepare  for this  fall."