IWK says more children in the Maritimes are going to the ER with flu-like symptoms
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The IWK is urging people in the Maritimes to get a flu vaccine after reports of a large increase in the number of children presenting to emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms.
in an update shared on social media On Wednesday, IWK Health said the flu is now in the Maritimes, and while most children can manage it at home, children under five and those with underlying diseases are at higher risk of severe illness.
According to the IWK, an emergency room visit is recommended in the following circumstances:
- Your child is having trouble breathing (for example, they are breathing faster than normal; they are pale; their lips have turned white or blue; they are coughing without stopping, or breathing irregularly).
- Your baby (under three months of age) has a fever higher than 38 C or 100.4 F.
- Your child has a fever higher than 38 C or 100.4 F for more than 5-7 days in a row.
- Your child has a fever and is sleepy and you are having trouble waking him.
- Your child has vomiting and/or diarrhea and is not producing tears, has very dry mouth or has not urinated more than 2-3 times in the last 24 hours.
“We urge everyone to get a flu vaccine to support the health of our community,” the organization said.
Earlier this month, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Strang warned that Nova Scotia’s peak flu season, which typically falls in late December and early January, is expected to happen sooner this year.
Across the country, some hospitals are already taking precautions to prevent strain on their systems as more people come down with the flu.
Strang said early data shows that the dominant flu strain circulating across the country is influenza A (H3N2).
The current flu vaccine is not the best fit for that strain, Strang said, but that doesn’t mean the vaccine won’t provide any protection.
He added, however, that it means it is even more important to take precautions this season and wear a mask indoors, wash hands regularly and stay home if sick.
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