B.C. should prepare itself for further swine flu cases, hospitalization and even death, a lead epidemiologist said yesterday as she confirmed the province’s third mild case of swine flu.
The infected Vancouver Island woman had returned from Mexico on Saturday.
Dr. Danuta Skowronski, an influenza epidemiologist at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, said the small number of cases is reassuring, but nothing to be complacent about.
“I expect there to be more cases,” Skowronski said. “I expect that there may be hospitalizations and deaths. What we need to do is think ahead and prepare for that possibility.”
The number of confirmed cases of swine flu in Canada rose to 13. All are considered mild and none have required hospitalization.
The third case is believed to be Michelle Bossi, 30, of Victoria. On her Twitter feed, Bossi posted, “Geez I’m so lucky to be the first case of swine flu in Victoria!”
An earlier post said she was in an isolation room in a hospital and in another she said she was in a Mexican hospital.
Skowronski said the spread of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak may be hampered because it is hitting at a time of year when influenza viruses tend to go on “hiatus.”
“Influenza viruses don’t like sun. They don’t like UV light. There’s a reason why influenza viruses circulate during the winter period … we may actually be entering a hiatus period, a period where, because of nature, it is not facilitated in its spread.”
Travel in Mexico
• WestJet and Air Canada suspended flights to several destinations in Mexico yesterday after Canada issued an advisory against non-essential travel to that country.
Tour operator Transat AT also said it was postponing flights to Mexico until June 1 and Carnival Cruise Lines cancelled Mexico stops for three of its cruise ships.
Mexico’s tourism industry — which attracted $13 billion from foreign tourists last year — is taking a beating as countries around the world issue warnings as fear spreads over the flu outbreak that has killed 159 people.
“A group of 150 people cancelled yesterday. More groups cancelled today,” said Sara Ruiz, the tourism secretary in the state of Quintana Roo where Cancun is located.
Mexico City’s hotel association said about 60 per cent of the capital’s hotels have reported cancellations and flights out are reportedly overbooked.
“They are really rushing to get out,” said Alexander Kittler, 32, a flight attendant for Lufthansa who was between flights in Mexico City.
He added that some of his colleagues bought supplies of food and water when they arrived before holing up in their hotels until they could leave.
One said she planned to wear surgical gloves on the flight back.
