Thursday, September 24, 2009

Flu Season Hits Hard


A suspected Swine Flu outbreak had closed down Caye Caulker Island, a popular tourism destination in Belize a few miles away from Ambergris Caye. Two high schools on Caye Caulker made the decision to voluntarily close down as a precautionary measure. Over one hundred students were ill with flu-like symptoms and many teachers and citizens are also reported ill. But those have all been re-opened and DHS Michael Pitts told Channel 7 News of Belize City that the results of three of those Caye Caulker tests are back from CAREC; one was positive for H1N1 and two others are another kind of flu. Seven results are still pending.

But the flu is spreading like wildfire around the country and many are taking precautions to stay safe and healthy. Although there have not been any other reports of the H1N1 cases other than one in Caye Caulker, schools around the country are taking precautions and sending sick students home to recover.

Here in San Pedro, the Health Inspector is visiting schools to monitor the situation, but no cases of the H1N1 Influenza A have been confirmed, contrary to a rumor circulating around town that a private doctor was confirming a case. Residents are asked to take precaution and follow sanitary procedures in order to prevent the spread of the flu and to contact their doctor as soon as anyone starts experiencing flu-like symptoms. Read more on tomorrow’s edition of Ambergris Today Newspaper.

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