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Flu closes more schools, daycares

Trials for Arctic Winter Games postponed in bid to slow spread

JANE GEORGE

Gary Lewis holds steady as he gets his flu shot at the public health office in Iqaluit. (PHOTO BY PATRICIA D'SOUZA)

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Flu continued to close schools and daycares in several Kitikmeot communities this week, and events were cancelled or postponed in an attempt to prevent more Nunavummiut from falling ill.

Trials in Kugluktuk, Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Chesterfield Inlet for the upcoming Arctic Winter Games were postponed to early January to slow the spread of the virus.

Nunavut's annual flu immunization campaign has had a hard time keeping pace with the flu.

"Usually the flu presents itself in the beginning of December and goes through Christmas. This year we saw it earlier," said Carolina Palacios, Nunavut's communicable disease specialist. "When communities were carrying out immunizations against the flu, it was already circulating."

As a flu shot can take up to 10 days before it provides protection, the immunization campaign couldn't keep as many people healthy as usual.

The flu outbreak spread from Sanikiluaq, where the first cases occurred last month in the wake of two regional meetings, to other communities in Nunavut.

"Some of those who attended brought back 'souvenirs' to their communities," Palacios said.

She added closing schools because of the flu is a measure that usually occurs after the flu has already spread, and doesn't necessarily keep more people from becoming infected. That's why the GN moved to postpone the AWG trials before large numbers of residents were affected.

By mid-week in Iqaluit, there had only been one reported case of the flu, and the immunization campaign continued.

"It's the best protection we can offer," said Palacios, who urged anyone who hadn't been immunized to receive an injection.

Last year, Nunavut health workers administered 7,000 flu shots, although the number is up this year, due to the increased need and demand.

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