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Provincial MHO says seasonal flu remains bigger worry, as Island Health confirms second death

Dr Perry Kendall says British Columbians should be more worried about protecting themselves from the seasonal flu than avian flu.

The Provincial Medical Health Officer is trying to calm fears after an Alberta patient died of the H5N1 strain of avian flu.

The woman died after returning from China, a trip that included a layover December 27th at Vancouver International.  Kendall says there’s very little risk to the general public, because the virus rarely moves from people to people.

Island Health, meanwhile, has now confirmed a second death in which the seasonal flu H1N1 was a contributing factor.  It was a person over 80 from the South Island.

Island Health also says for the remainder of the flu season they won’t be releasing  where on Vancouver Island flu deaths occur, in order to protect the identity of patients.

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