New flu strain 'inevitable' in Nunavut, medical chief says

Nunavut's Chief Medical Officer of Health expects cases of swine flu will eventually show up in the territory.

Dr. Isaac Sobol said that with more than 30 reported cases in Canada and the virus rapidly spreading worldwide, it is only a matter of time before it is detected in the territory.

"There has been widespread movement of this virus all around the world, so my sense is that it's inevitable that it will arrive in Nunavut at some time," Sobol said.

So far, he said, cases of the swine flu in Canada have been no different than the seasonal flu. 

Still, the virus is his Health Department's priority.

"From morning to night we're engaged in almost nothing but the swine flu situation," he said.

Sobol said he has been in contact with federal authorities and the Health Department is prepared. It has a pandemic flu plan and a stock of antiviral drugs.

Still, Sobol advised people to take general precautions such as washing their hands regularly and sneezing or coughing into a tissue or their sleeve, to prevent spread of the virus.

The World Health Organization decided to stop calling the disease swine flu in order to avoid confusion that the flu is caused by pigs. WHO now refers to the disease as H1N1 Influenza A.