Influenza A has arrived in Grey-Bruce, the local health unit announced Friday.
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The Grey Bruce Health Unit said lab results received Thursday confirmed influenza A in a Grey County resident and that area health-care practitioners are being notified.
The free flu shot is the best way to protect against the influenza virus, a health unit news release said. Shots are available at some pharmacies and from local health-care providers.
Masks, physical distancing, washing hands and other public health measures used to guard against COVID-19 do the same for the flu, the health unit said.
Symptoms of the flu typically appear one to four days after exposure to the virus but people are still contagious even if they don’t show symptoms yet.
Symptoms include fever, chills, cough, runny eyes, stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, extreme weakness and tiredness and loss of appetite. Most people who get the flu will recover within seven to 10 days.
Call a primary-care provider if you’re sick and don’t start feeling better after a few days, or symptoms get worse, or if you’re in a high-risk group and develop flu symptoms, the health unit said. See the health unit’s website for more information about the flu.
There were no lab-confirmed influenza cases in the area during the last flu season. The first local influenza case of the 2019-20 flu season was confirmed in November 2019.
“To not get COVID, you have to be careful, meticulously careful and also fortunate,” said Colin Furness, infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.
Your location and living arrangement can increase the likelihood of catching COVID-19, with studies showing that marginalized communities are at greater risk of infection.
“There are some diseases that are clearly linked to one gene, but in many cases, it’s far more complicated and there might be multiple pathways,” said Furness.
There are seven known coronaviruses that can infect humans, including the common cold.
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Previous exposure to other forms of coronaviruses can keep someone from catching COVID-19, said Dr. Horacio Bach, an infectious diseases expert at the University of British Columbia.
“These people develop antibodies, so when they are theoretically exposed to the virus, they can get rid of it very easily because of what we call cross-reaction,” Bach explained.
A study published in the Nature Communications in January suggested that having higher levels of pre-existing T cells that are created by the body when infected with other coronaviruses, can protect someone against COVID-19 infection.
Another study published in November 2021 in the scientific journal Nature also showed that health-care workers in the United Kingdom who repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19 were able to fend off the virus because of the presence of T cells from exposure to previous seasonal coronaviruses.
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Because much of the research for COVID-19 has been focused on those infected and how to treat them, experts say it is hard to exactly pinpoint why certain people have managed to evade the virus so far.
Getting to the bottom of this question could be a “real game-changer” in fighting the pandemic, said Furness.
“It’s possible that if we could figure out on what basis some people are immune, we might be able to develop effective drugs. We also might be able to just identify who’s at high risk.”
Bird flu has been found in a fourth location in southern Ontario, this time on the Bruce Peninsula, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says.
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The agency confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza in a flock in the Township of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation on Thursday — the fourth since the beginning of this week.
The agency said it has placed the farm under quarantine. Traffic is being restricted on and off the farm and enhanced biosecurity measures are being recommended for other farms nearby.
The bird flu was previously found at farms in Zorra Township in western Oxford County, near Guelph and Woolwich Township north of Kitchener. The federal agency earlier this week said the disease was found in turkey flocks in those three spots.
A spokesperson could not be reached Friday to find out whether the fourth outbreak was also in turkeys or another kind of bird.
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said bird flu is spreading in wild bird populations around the world and is a significant concern as birds migrate to Canada.
Ontario is the largest producer of poultry in the country, with much of the industry in Southwestern Ontario. Ontario turkey producers market between 85 million to 90 million kilograms of turkey annually, about 45 per cent of the total raised in Canada. Ontario farmers also raise more than 200 million chickens a year.
Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs says bird flu is not a threat to food safety when properly handled and cooked.
It also says avian influenza is not a significant public health concern for healthy people who are not in regular contact with infected birds.
In 2015, three farms in Oxford County were hit with outbreaks of an H5N2 strain of avian flu. About 80,000 birds, mainly turkeys, were wiped out as officials spent months trying to contain the disease.
The Canadian Press Published Friday, April 1, 2022 2:49PM EDT Last Updated Friday, April 1, 2022 2:49PM EDT
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says another southern Ontario farm has been placed under quarantine because of the bird flu.
The agency says the H5N1 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in a poultry farm in the Township of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation on Thursday.
It says control measures to limit the movement of animals in the area have also been put in place.
The bird flu has ripped through three other commercial poultry farms in southern Ontario in less than a week, according to the CFIA.
Those cases were detected after a red-tailed hawk in the Waterloo, Ont., region was found with bird flu 10 days ago.
The CFIA says 24 countries have temporarily banned imports of birds or poultry products from parts of Canada - and in some cases, from the whole country - as a result of the outbreaks.
A farm stakeholder group has said Canada's poultry production is largely for domestic use.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2022.
All individuals who are having, or have had, condomless sex are encouraged to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – even if they do not have symptoms. While individuals are encouraged to contact their health care provider for STI testing, in the month of April, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) will also be offering a temporary drop-in STI Screening Program. This program provides a quick testing option for anyone who has been having condomless sex and does not have symptoms of STIs. This temporary service will help boost access to gonorrhea and chlamydia testing as HPEPH gradually resumes regular programs and services.
Hastings and Prince Edward Counties remain in gonorrhea and syphilis* outbreak, with 84 gonorrhea cases and 16 cases of infectious syphilis reported in 2021. It is suspected that case rates may be much higher, as access to testing has been limited. People of all genders and sexual orientations are testing positive. While STIs did not go away during the pandemic, access to testing and treatment was reduced. As a result, people may be carrying undiagnosed STIs, and spreading them without knowing it. By offering drop-in STI screening, HPEPH hopes to help local residents catch up with their sexual health testing needs.
Since many STIs have no symptoms, the only way to know if you are infected is to get tested. Different types of sex can transmit STIs if a condom is not used, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Even without symptoms, undiagnosed/untreated STIs can lead to long term health consequences. STI screening provides a quick and easy opportunity for individuals to know if they are infected with an STI, without requiring a full assessment. Screening will test for chlamydia and gonorrhea with a quick urine sample or a self-administered throat and/or rectal swab (depending on type of activity). Clients will only be required to provide their name, health card, and preferred method of contact (text, email, or phone number). Individuals who do not provide a health card can still receive screening.
“People will not always know if they have been exposed to an STI, or if they do test positive, they may not know how to contact their partner(s),” says Stephanie McFaul, Clinical Services Program Manager at HPEPH. “By offering drop-in style STI screening, we are hoping to help local residents check their status – as easily and conveniently as possible.”
The STI Screening Clinics will be held at the Belleville HPEPH Office, 179 North Park Street, on Monday, April 4, 11, and 25 from 12 to 3:30 p.m. Appointments are not required. While the test itself will only take a few minutes, wait time will vary depending on the volume of clients. Clients are reminded that masks are required at all public health clinics. Anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 must delay their visit until they are feeling better and have completed isolation requirements.
While STI screening is ideal for individuals who do not have symptoms, those with symptoms must visit a health care provider for a complete assessment and diagnosis. If you do not have a care provider, visit a walk-in clinic or the Emergency Department.
For more information about STIs or about the screening clinic, visit our website or call the HPEPH Sexual Health Team at 613-966-5500, extension 243.
*Please note that testing for syphilis will not be completed at the quick screening drop-in as this requires a blood test. Individuals who want a blood test should contact their health care provider, go to a walk in clinic, or contact HPEPH at the number above for options.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says another southern Ontario farm has been placed under quarantine because of the bird flu.
The agency says the H5N1 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in a poultry farm in the Township of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation on Thursday.
It says control measures to limit the movement of animals in the area have also been put in place.
The bird flu has ripped through three other commercial poultry farms in southern Ontario in less than a week, according to the CFIA.
Those cases were detected after a red-tailed hawk in the Waterloo, Ont., region was found with bird flu 10 days ago.
The CFIA says 24 countries have temporarily banned imports of birds or poultry products from parts of Canada — and in some cases, from the whole country — as a result of the outbreaks.
A farm stakeholder group has said Canada’s poultry production is largely for domestic use.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2022.
