On June 5th, a family of three from Canada arrived in France for a vacation on the coast. Soon after, their trip came to an abrupt end. The family was hospitalized in the infectious diseases department of the Archet Hospital. All three were suspected of carrying the H1N1 virus, which is currently a major concern.
The diagnosis was confirmed for the father and his daughter, but it is still pending for the mother.
Tests also confirmed the presence of the H1N1 virus in a woman who returned from Buenos Aires on June 15, 2009. Suffering from flu-like symptoms, she was hospitalized in the infectious diseases department at Archet Hospital and isolated to prevent any contamination.
A confirmed case was also reported for a person arriving from the United States. We do not have more information about this case at this time.
As recommended by medical protocol, people who were in contact with the patients have been put on a preventive antiviral treatment for 10 days. They were quarantined during the first 24 hours of treatment. Currently, the condition of the patients is not considered serious.
The Alpes-Maritimes Department has prepared for the risk of an epidemic in the region. In early June 2009, a simulation of an H1N1 influenza epidemic was conducted in Nice during the congress of the French Society of Hospital Hygiene. The exercise involved 400 participants. It was a first in France.
