Confirmed H1N1 case in Prince Rupert school 'just the tip of the iceberg' says Northern Health
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: November 02, 2009 11:01 AM
The Prince Rupert School District last week advised parents that there had been a confirmed case of H1N1 at Westview Elementary School.
“However, people with Influenza like illness are not routinely tested for the virus and we know that others in our schools and community have also had H1N1 infection,” read the letter sent home to parents from Superintendent Lynn Hauptman.
“Our district has also been in contact with the medical health officer and we will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with him and Northern Health. We are also monitoring our absence levels at all schools and principals will inform public health if they reach illness levels greater than 10 per cent.”
While this is Prince Rupert’s first lab-confirmed case of H1N1, Eryn Collins of Northern Health says it shouldn’t change the process people have been following to help stop the spread of the disease, including washing their hands, sneezing into their sleeves and staying home if they feel sick.
“People are only swabbed and tested if there is a diagnostic reason to do so, such as if the doctor needs to confirm H1N1 for treatment reasons…By and large the H1N1 virus is circulating and is across the province. Having lab confirmation only confirms what we already know, and that is that those [confirmed] numbers are just the tip of the iceberg,” she said.
“Its really not a panic situation, it’s flu season and it happens every year. The difference this year is that is a new strain, but it acts a lot like common flu for the most part…The majority of the cases will be mild to moderate and the vast majority of people will recover just fine.”
People who think they have H1N1 can call their family doctor, call the B.C. health Line at 811 and, if needing assistance but those without a family doctor should call the hospital to alert them of the situation and the possibility of H1N1 before going to the emergency room.
