No swine flu cases in N.W.T. to date, health officials say
There are currently no confirmed cases of swine flu in the Northwest Territories, Health Minister Sandy Lee said Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Yellowknife, Lee said territorial health officials have boosted their surveillance for the swine flu, caused by the H1N1 influenza virus.
Dr. Kami Kandola, the N.W.T.'s acting chief medical health officer, said all health centres and hospitals have been given clinical guidelines in screening, testing and reporting suspected cases of the flu.
Kandola urged anyone who has recently come back from areas that have swine flu cases, and is experiencing flu-like symptoms, to call the N.W.T.'s flu information hotline at 1-888-920-3026 before going to a health centre or hospital.
The health department's website, which has daily updates on the swine flu, has received more than 1,100 hits to date, Kandola added.
Antiviral medicines on hand
Kandola said the N.W.T. has stockpiles of antiviral medication to treat moderate to severe cases of swine flu "should the need arise."
Kandola said prevention is still the best strategy against the flu in general. She recommended that people wash their hands, cover their mouths and noses when sneezing or coughing, avoid close contact with people who are ill, and stay home if they are ill.
The total number of confirmed swine flu cases across Canada has exceeded 100, with new cases reported Monday in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
In addition to the Northwest Territories, there have been no confirmed cases to date in the Yukon, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Hay River hospital imposes restrictions
But in light of the possibility that swine flu may spread to the N.W.T., health officials in Hay River announced restrictions at the local hospital.
The cafeteria at H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital was closed to the public on Saturday, and officials are discouraging children under the age of 12 from visiting the facility.
The hospital's emergency department remains open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but all incoming patients will be screened upon arrival, according to a news release.