Health officials in Saskatchewan, Thursday, have confirmed 11 new cases of Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in the province, bringing the total number of cases in Saskatchewan this year to 13.
The first two were confirmed in August with another 11 in September. The cases are isolated and not clustered in one particular area.
Last Wednesday Heartland Health Region issued a release making people aware that Enterovirus D68 is beginning to circulate in Canada. Enterovirus D68 is a respiratory illness that is uncommon in North America. In Saskatchewan occasional infections were reported in previous years, mostly in the summer and early fall.
Symptoms of Enterovirus are usually similar to symptoms of the common cold.
The virus has caused some concern in some American states where cases have been severe enough to warrant hospital admission and more intensive care.
Heartland Health states that as of September 2014, many children have become ill and 84 people in six states have been confirmed to have respiratory illness caused by EV-D68.
According the Heartland Health news release, “children and teenagers appear to be at increased risk of infection from EV-D68. It is thought they may lack protection from previous exposures to the virus. The virus can infect adults. Children with asthma seem to have a higher risk for severe respiratory illness.”
Many people will not have any symptoms while others will have common cold symptoms such as sniffles, nasal congestion and cough with or without general malaise.
Heartland Health suggest that people may prevent respiratory illness by:
• avoiding close contact with sick people and people should stay home if they or their child is sick;
• washing hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds;
• covering coughs and sneezes with tissues;
• avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
• avoiding kissing, hugging and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick;
• disinfecting frequently touched surfaces such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick; and
• seeking medical attention is symptoms are severe.
Because people with asthma are at higher risk for respiratory illness, it is advised they take medicine regularly and maintain control of their illness during this time.
Monthly Archives: September 2014
Craik runs for Terry Fox
By Kevin Gilby
CRAIK—September 24 brought 78 Craik students together, along with school faculty, to run/walk in support of the Terry Fox Run. Students in grades Kindergarten to 2, participated in a 1.5-kilometre loop while older students took a 4-km route.
Participants enjoyed cold ice-cream treats after working up a sweat in the welcome warm weather.
The annual fundraising event was organized by the Grade 11 students and raised $1,550 for the Terry Fox Foundation, a registered Canadian charity that has, to date, raised over $650 million for cancer research.
Morrison wins kickboxing gold
DAVIDSON—Local kickboxer James Morrison has kicked and punched his way to another international gold medal.
The Davidson School Grade 11 student won gold at the TAFISA World Martial Arts Games in Richmond B.C. in early September.
The World Martial Arts Games were held Sept. 3 to 7 at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The event attracted over 300 athletes competing a range of martial arts disciplines.
James won gold in the kata event at the games.
Kata are a series of training forms, small, structured practice routines that include punches, kicks and jumps that martial artists practise over and over so they become an ingrained habit.
James says he knows about 25 different types of katas. The one he used in Richmond takes about five minutes and it’s his favourite.
For the World Games, he decided to change it.
“Probably the day before, he says, ‘I’d like to add a little bit of flare to the ending’,” his mom Michele said.
Michele questioned the wisdom of altering a tried-and-true kata so close to an international competition.
“A few days before, I decided I wanted to do it and I practised it a few times,” James said.
He decided to embellish the kata ending with a tornado kick, which is a jump and spin kick, then to add an extra note of finality to the routine, he punched the floor and yelled.
“I was nervous,” Michele said as she watched James compete. He ended up tied for third.
To break the tie, James and the other competitor had to perform their katas again.
“I ended up doing way better than I did before,” he said.
His score was even better than the first and second place scores, so judges bumped James up to gold.
New swimming pool open houses coming soon
DAVIDSON—Plans for Davidson’s new swimming pool will soon be shared with the public.
Davidson recreation director Trevor Ouellette, at its Sept. 16 meeting, showed Davidson town council the latest design plans for the new swimming pool and informed council of plans to hold open houses in October.
He said the open houses will be community information sessions where the design will be unveiled and people may give their input.
The drawing, as shown to town council, Ouellette said, would cost about $1.5 million and it would be the plan “if we had an unlimited budget to build.”
Instead, Ouellette said they are looking at trimming the design to save money.
RCMP investigate Craik Break in
CRAIK—Craik RCMP detachment continues to investigate a break, enter and theft that took place early last week.
Sometime during the night of Sept. 15 or in the early morning hours of Sept. 16 the municipal building in Craik was broken into.
RCMP report that the culprit(s) gained access to the building by breaking the handle to the back door. The building houses the offices of the Town of Craik, the Rural Municipality of Craik and the RM shop.
A small quantity of cash was stolen. It appears that no tools or electronic equipment was taken.
Police also report that the municipal building was the only place broken into that night.
Group discusses doctor recruitment
DAVIDSON— Worried about physician recruitment and retention a group of concerned citizens attended a Sept. 11 meeting of Davidson town council’s medical liaison committee.
Their presence at the special meeting was unexpected. The committee, which is made up primarily of members of Davidson town council, had called the meeting to discuss recruiting a second physician to Davidson.
“Heartland Health and the town of Davidson have been working to get another physician in Davidson,” Davidson Mayor Clayton Schneider told the group at the start of the meeting. “This meeting is to be proactive in regards to what it’s going to look like.”
Money has been put aside by the provincial government to have another doctor in this area, Schneider said. A second physician is needed so there is 24-hour emergency coverage out of Davidson Health Centre, he said.
“As a group we are concerned that you guys are taking on a huge load,” Gloria Cool said. She suggested that the medical liaison committee should have more members to include representation from rural municipalities and neighbouring towns and villages that use medical services located in Davidson.
To read the full article, please see the Sept. 22 print edition of The Davidson Leader. To subscribe, please call 306-567-2047. Digital edition available.