Possible 1st swine flu death probed in N.W.T.

A Fort Simpson man who diedWednesday might have had swine flu, the N.W.T. Health Department saidThursday.

Department spokesman Damien Healy told CBC News he could not provide details surrounding the man's death, other than to say the man had flu-like symptoms.

"Anyone who presents severe ILI, which we're calling influenza-like illness, we would swab and we'd send off to the lab," Healy said.

"We send them to a laboratory in Alberta and it takes approximately five to seven business days for them to confirm whether it was of H1N1 virus. So we expect to have results back within five to seven days."

Residents shocked

If the test comes back positive for the H1N1 virus, health officials will issue a public health advisory and hold a news conference, Healy said.

Fort Simpson Mayor Duncan Canvin told CBC Newsthat residents in the village of 1,200 are in shock and disbelief over the man's death.

Canvin described the deceased, whose name has not been released, as an otherwise healthy man who was married with children.

It's the first suspected death from the H1N1 influenza virus in the Northwest Territories. In neighbouring Nunavut, a woman died from swine flu in July.

To prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus, the Health Department is urging people to cough into their elbows and wash their hands frequently, as well as stay home if they are showing flu-like symptoms.

Those who feel ill and aren't sure what to do can call the department's influenza information hotline at 1-888-920-3026.