Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.’s chief health officer, looks on as Dr. Lamont Sweet, the Island’s deputy chief health officer, responds to media questions Monday in Charlottetown. Guardian photo by Brian McInnis

Eight Islanders who returned to Prince Edward Island from Mexico and are experiencing flu-like symptoms are being checked for the human swine influenza, says the province’s chief health officer.
Dr. Heather Morrison says Islanders should be prepared for the human swine flu, adding she expects one or more cases to be confirmed on the Island.
During a news conference Monday morning, Morrison said Islanders should think twice about going to Mexico, where 149 people have now died from the virus.
All non-essential travel to the country should be discouraged, she added.
“We have no laboratory confirmed cases of human swine influenza in Prince Edward Island,” Morrison told reporters. “We have received calls on eight people (Monday) morning who we will be investigating for human swine influenza.”
There have been six confirmed cases of swine flu in Canada with links to travel to Mexico.
Four students at a private school in Windsor, N.S., and two people in British Columbia have had the flu.
But a number of suspected cases are popping up across the country, including 10 to 12 in Ontario.
Health authorities say all of the Canadian cases of swine flu have been mild and did not require hospitalization.
The virus is suspected in up to 149 deaths in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak with more than 1,900 cases suspected.
Sarah Perry of Belfast, P.E.I., returned from Mexico last week with her new husband, Mark, and 26 members of her family.
Perry was married in the Mayan Riviera region of Mexico. 
None of the Perry or Frederick families have gotten sick.
Still, Perry said it’s on her mind.
There was no word of the outbreak while they were in Mexico.
“We still had some friends and family that were down there, so we were worried for them,” said Perry.
“We’ll be paying attention to any symptoms that come up.”
The eight Islanders who have gotten sick are being asked to isolate themselves to prevent further spread.
Health officials say if somebody has returned from Mexico or has been in contact with somebody who has been in Mexico and are experiencing fever, cough, muscle aches or shortness of breath are asked to contact their family physician right away. Symptoms usually show up within four days.
Patients will be treated with anti-viral drugs, which are only effective if they are administered within 48 hours of the symptoms first appearing.
It could take two to four days before test results can confirm if their sickness is the human swine flu.
But Morrison said Islanders should expect to have the virus on the Island.
“We anticipate, at some point, we will get a case or more in Prince Edward Island. It will not be only about containing that case, but just like seasonal influenza it will be about trying to slow that spread of illness.”
Bulletins went out to hospital emergency rooms April 23. On Sunday, physicians and staff were also notified about the outbreak to ensure heighten surveillance is in place.
Staff in doctors’ offices, emergency rooms and other health-care centres may also start wearing masks, which are already being used in other provinces, and hand washing is being stepped up.
Officials from the Emergency Measurers Organization and Public Health were at Monday’s news conference. They say they’re ready to respond, if needed.
Health Minister Doug Currie said he received a briefing from his federal counterpart on Sunday. He said most of his staff spent the weekend being updated on the rapidly spreading virus.
Officials from the chief health office will remain on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The province is also planning daily briefings to the media to keep Islanders up to date on situation.
“This is an issue that we are responding to very seriously,” said Currie.
 

Just the facts:

— Swine flu is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease normally found in pigs. It spreads through tiny particles in the air or by direct contact. According to WHO (World Health Organization) it tends to infect large numbers of a given pig population, killing between one and four per cent of those affected.
— Transmission through people is believed to occur through coughing or sneezing, or touching contaminated surfaces before touching mouth or nose.
— WHO says properly handled and prepared pork products are safe to eat. The swine flu virus dies when cooked at temperatures of 70C or higher.

— Latest Developments from the Public Health Agency:
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/swine_200904-eng.php