The flu season is upon us, and like the rest of Canada, Brantford has been hit hard. A recent report from the Brantford General Hospital’s website said that there have been 110 confirmed cases, with 80 people in isolation. The hospital also expects these numbers to rise.

The season started earlier this year, and it has been worse than in past years. The report claimed that due to the high demand, the Brantford General Hospital had to schedule two more vaccination clinics, with the most recent taking place on January 19. More clinics are expected to be scheduled soon. While flu activity has been said to be slowing down in the last couple of days, a second wave is thought to be on its way.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported that there were 107 flu outbreaks in Canada in the first week of 2013. There are temporary shortages of some drugs and vaccines, including the anti-viral flu drug, Tamiflu. There have also been reports of health facilities closing their doors to visitors.

The Public Health Agency has listed some ways to prevent yourself from contracting the virus at its website. These include eating healthy foods, staying physically active, and keeping your hands away from your face. If you do get sick, you should stay at home until you recover.

Brantford General Hospital is staying well-staffed during this time, and is doing all it can to treat those with the flu and contain the outbreak.

Appointments can be made by visiting www.bchu.org, and information regarding with the virus can be found at www.flightflu.ca.