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London

Flu Season Winding Down

With only two cases of Influenza B reported in the London region in the last week, flu season is winding down.

But, officials say it is not quite over yet.

"If there's zero new cases, zero hospitalizations, zero deaths and zero outbreaks for two weeks in a row, that's when we start to speak internally whether it's time for us to declare it over," says Manager of Infectious Disease and Infection Control at the Middlesex London Health Unit Tristan Squire-Smith. "Last year it was a long season actually and I think our last report was in the first, if not second week of June."

Since September of 2015 there have been 328 confirmed cases of Influenza A and 43 cases of Influenza B. Of those cases, 155 people were hospitalized and 14 died.

The number of outbreaks is especially high this season, there have been 40 flu outbreaks at long-term care homes and hospitals.

Despite the warm weather, Squire-Smith says taking precautions to protect yourself from the virus is still a good idea.

"If people are going into those health care institutions it is important to wash your hands, covering your coughs and sneezes or preferably not going in at all if you're sick."

This year's flu vaccine did not protect those who got it from the main strain of the virus circulating in the area.

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