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‘H1N1 virus nothing like the flu’

Posted By JENNIFER HAMILTON-MCCHARLES, THE NUGGET

Posted 2 hours ago

Victims of the H1N1 virus say symptoms put the illness in a league of its own.

Rosemary Elson was confirmed to have H1N1, along with her husband and five children, in July.

They arrived at the hospital’s emergency department, underwent numerous blood tests and nose and mouth swabs and were told it’s the swine flu.

The family was quarantined in their home for two weeks. They relied on friends and family to drop off milk and fresh meat at their front door.

The H1N1 virus is nothing like the flu. You’re going to know if you get H1N1,” Elson said Tuesday.

I couldn’t move, I kept passing out and I was in so much pain. It felt like the bottom of my stomach was going to fall out. My ankle, knees and every joint in my body hurt,” she said.

While medical officials say there are varying degrees of symptoms, Elson described a severe reaction.

You just don’t get a fever . . . your entire head feels like it’s cooking.

There’s also this poison taste in the back of your throat. And forget about swallowing, because it feels like your swallowing golf balls.”

Elson sympathizes with those in hospital who are suffering from the virus and encourages parents to get their children vaccinated.

She said she attempted to get her children vaccinated, but the lineup was too long.

They have yet to return to a clinic and two of her children have influenza-like symptoms.

Elson said the fever and stomach cramping have returned. She said she and her five-and nine-year-olds are back in quarantine.

Something is coming back through the house again,” Elson said. But we’re trying to avoid the hospital’s emergency room at all costs.”

Elson said since the pandemic hit Ontario, everyone who has fallen ill cites H1N1 as the cause.

She said now that the local health unit has tapped out its supply, she fears people’s concern will escalate.

Dr. Jim Chirico, the district’s medical officer of health, said the 19,500 doses of the vaccine have been either administered or distributed to doctors.

He said the health unit has yet to receive more supply and all high risk and general H1N1 clinics are postponed until further notice.

Pregnant women and new mothers are now the focus. The health unit received 800 doses of the unadjuvanted vaccine.

Special clinics are being held this week in North Bay, Parry Sound, Mattawa, Sturgeon Falls and Burk’s Falls for pregnant women and women who gave birth within the last six weeks.

Chirico said if there is any unadjuvanted vaccine left the health unit will distribute it among area doctors and he’s trying to get more adjuvanted vaccine from the province.

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