H1N1 (swine flu) Update May 4, 2009 

As of 3:00 p.m., there are 31 confirmed cases of H1N1 Flu Virus (Human Swine Flu) in Ontario. None of these cases are in Brantford or Brant County. All of the cases have been mild, with the infected individuals recovering at home.

May 5, 2009

H1N1 (swine flu) has recently made headlines. On April 29, 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) escalated the pandemic threat level to Phase 5, which is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region.

The Brant County Health Unit is working closely with the Brant Community Healthcare System and local physicians following confirmed cases of swine flu identified in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Keep in mind the regular flu season kills 4000 people in Canada every year and only eight people are sick in Ontario. We would like to remind employees about basic hygiene practices such as hand washing as well as cough and sneeze etiquette as well as the importance of overall workplace/workstation cleanliness.

About H1N1:
H1N1 is a specific kind of respiratory illness that causes symptoms similar to those found in regular human seasonal flu. All influenza viruses are spread through droplets in an infected person’s mucous. The droplets are most commonly transferred when the infected person sneezes or coughs.

Symptoms include:

  • fever
  • lack of appetite
  • sore throat
  • shortness of breath
  • eye pain
  • coughing
  • fatigue
  • chills
  • muscle aches

What to do if you have flu-like symptoms:
Contact your health care professionals and explain your symptoms. Make sure to provide details about your travel history, especially in the week before the onset of your illness.

If you experience the symptoms stated above, stay home. Don’t go to work, school or social events when you are ill. This will help prevent spreading germs to co-workers and friends. Children should also stay home from school and daycare when they experience these symptoms.

Personal precautions:

  • Wash your hands regularly.
  • If you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, use a hand sanitizer.
  • Practice common cough and sneeze etiquette, which includes coughing or sneezing into your elbow or shoulder area.
  • Keep personal space if someone in your household is ill.
  • If you experience any flu like symptoms, stay at home.

How to wash properly:

  • Use warm water that is comfortable to the touch and clean liquid soap
  • Wet hands and lather well for at least 15 seconds. Scrub between fingers, under nails, around back and palms of hands and around the wrist
  • Rinse under running water
  • Dry hands using a clean paper towel
  • Turn off faucet with the paper towel
  • Discard paper towel in the garbage

Where to use alcohol hand sanitizers:

  • Anywhere contact is made with the public
  • Picnics and other locations where hand washing facilities are not available
  • Trips to the beach where hand washing facilities are not available
  • In the office where equipment is shared with others
  • In an automobile

For more information please select one of the links below. They will open up in separate brower windows.

TeleHealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000 

Public Health Agency of Canada 

Ministry of Health and Long Term Care 

Centre for Disease Control 

World Health Organization