The number of confirmed swine flu cases in Canada climbed to 27 today as Alberta and Nova Scotia announced eight new cases of the virus, although all are said to be mild.
Four new cases have been confirmed at King's-Edgehill school in small-town Nova Scotia, bringing the total there to eight, while four new cases have been confirmed in Calgary.
Dr. Robert Strang, the Nova Scotia's chief public health officer, said the new cases were not a surprise.
"We expected to see new cases and we anticipate more in the coming days," he told a briefing Thursday. "This is a constantly evolving situation and the important thing is for people to be aware of the situation and take the necessary precautions."
About two dozen students from the prestigious private boarding school in Windsor, 45 minutes north of Halifax, were on a school trip to Mexico early this month.
Andre Corriveau, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health, told reporters Thursday in Edmonton that officials have found four new cases of swine flu in Calgary – one female and three males, all young adults. The four people had been travelling together in Mexico and recently returned home.
That brings Alberta's total swine flu cases to six. According to health officials, all of the cases have been mild and none of the patients have been hospitalized.
