B.C. warns about travel as Mexico shuts schools, public places to stop new flu virus
Warning issued by B.C. Centre for Disease Control
VICTORIA – Health officials and doctors have been asked by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and the government to be be vigilant for a new type of flu that is spreading in Mexico.
Mexico has shut schools, theatres and other public places to stem the spread of a new strain of virus not seen before. The B.C. government is likely to shortly issue a travel advisory.
BCCDC is asking medical practitioners to be on the alert for travelors returning from Mexico for signs of the flu which has killed 60 people.
In particular, doctors are being asked to lookout for signs of severe respiratory illness evern as authorities try to grapple with identifying the strain of virus that appears to have mutated from multiple different strains. While it is being described as swine flu, authorities say it is a mutated form of virus from multiple sources – unseen before.
“The province is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as they become available,” the government said in a bulletin.
“The province has asked that all clinical and public health partners around the province be extra vigilant, increase screening and report any unusual illness, especially in travelers returning from Mexico.
“SRI symptoms from those seriously ill in Mexico include high fever, headache, eye pain, shortness of breath and extreme fatigue with rapid progression of symptoms to severe respiratory distress in about five days.”
“Canadians travelling to Mexico are reminded of all the usual preventive measures against seasonal influenza, e.g. receiving a seasonal flu shot, frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when ill.
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