Public Health Advisory: Flu Making the Rounds

It should come as no surprise: laboratory tests confirm that the flu and flu-like illnesses are making the rounds in Nova Scotia.

"Any time between November and April, we expect to see flu and other viruses in Nova Scotia," said Dr. Jeff Scott, the provincial medical officer of health. In fact, the first cases of the flu were reported in Nova Scotia last month.

But the flu and flu-like illnesses didn't become widespread until recently. On the weekend, Influenza A, a common type of flu, was identified again in Cape Breton and Halifax. "So far, these illnesses are what we would expect to see when the flu is present," said Dr. Scott.

All strains of flu share common symptoms: headache, cough and respiratory congestion, muscle ache and fatigue. The symptoms usually last for several days. Meanwhile, the flu-like illness being reported in children includes a high fever followed by a cough.

Even now, some parts of the province are still relatively flu-free. But that will likely change as the flu bug and other viruses make their expected rounds, said Dr. Scott.

If you are experiencing the flu or flu-like illness, follow the following tips:

• stay home until you feel better and try to avoid contact (if possible) with the elderly, with the very young and with people who have chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease

• get plenty of rest

• drink plenty of fluids

"The flu can be a very serious illness for seniors and people with a chronic health condition, even fatal," said Dr. Scott. "For most of us, however, we'll feel better within a few days."

The best step to stop the flu from getting to you is to get a flu shot every fall. Anyone over age 65 and people of all ages with chronic health conditions should definitely get an annual flu shot, said Dr. Scott. Flu shots are provided free by the Department of Health to people in these groups.

To stay healthy and to stop the spread of the flu and other illnesses:

• wash your hands frequently, particularly if you have a runny nose and cough

• discard tissues immediately after use

Sophisticated lab tests show that some samples of influenza now present in Nova Scotia have been identified as the Wuhan strain of Influenza A. The flu shot is effective for this strain.

Other samples are still being tested at the Laboratory Centre for Disease Control in Ottawa. Those tests should show if Nova Scotia, like other parts of the country, is seeing cases of a new flu strain called A-Sydney. The A-Sydney flu strain was first identified in Sydney, Australia.