UNews - 1-866-408-5465

Boil Water Order in effect at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, throughout region

trevor.kenney — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:50:09 +0000

The City of Lethbridge has issued a Boil Water Order. This action does affect those living, working and studying on our Lethbridge campus.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will remain open with regularly scheduled classes for the duration of this Boil Water Order.

On Wednesday, Mar. 12, the City of Lethbridge declared a local state of emergency due to a critical water storage situation. In response, the City closed its pools and arenas to conserve water. Following the City’s lead, the U of L closed the Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre and showers in the 1st Choice Savings Centre. The pool will remain closed and showers turned off until the Boil Water Order is lifted.

For additional information on the status of facility re-opening, please look for information here.

The U of L is making arrangements to bring additional bottled water on campus and is taking safety precautions for the duration of this Boil Water Order period. According to the City of Lethbridge, this Order is in effect until further notice and is expected to last several days.

Drinking Water

During the Boil Water Order, students, staff and faculty should not drink water from the fountains or taps and are encouraged to drink boiled or bottled water while on campus. Students living in residence, who have access to a stove, need to follow the Boil Water Order, which is included in a link below.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is working with suppliers in an effort to ensure bottled water is available on campus during this situation. It is expected that a significant shipment will arrive Friday morning. Availability may be short in the interim though. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to bring their own water with them until the Boil Water Order is lifted.

Washrooms

Washroom facilities at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are operational. Please do not consume water from the taps.

Food Services

Food Services will be open on campus. Some regular menu items may not be available as adjustments are made to ensure safety of patrons.

Health Services

The U of L’s Health Centre is aware of this situation. Typical illnesses from untreated water can include signs/symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, and fever.

If you or someone you know is SEVERELY ill, please call 911 for an ambulance to transport them to the hospital.

If you are generally ill with symptoms that are manageable, please call the Health Centre at 403-329-2484 ext. 1 and ask to speak with a nurse about your symptoms. If the phone is not answered, please leave your name, phone number, and your symptoms to the confidential voice mail system. The Heath Centre will track illness due to this water event and will return your call to provide health advice on dealing with your illness.

If you are ill and unsure of what to do, you can Call Health Link Alberta 1-866-408-5465.

Additional Safety Measures

Fire safety/suppression systems are unaffected.

Signage has been placed by water fountains, building entrances and in washrooms alerting the campus community and visitors not to drink the water. Additionally, information about the Boil Water Order, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s activities related to it, is posted on the Notice Board, Digital Signage and U of L social media channels.

More Information

Information about the City of Lethbridge Boil Water Order and be found on the City’s website.

Alberta Health Services has additional information about what to do during and after a Boil Water Order.

If there is a significant change in the situation, we will notify our campus community by e-mail. Also, please watch the Notice Board or the U of L’s Facebook page for additional updates.

Student ill with tuberculosis

trevor.kenney — Sat, 30 May 2009 04:16:47 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is co-operating fully with Alberta Health Services Public Health officials to help connect them with students and members of the campus community who may have been in contact with a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge student living off campus who was recently diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB).

The student supervised one exam near the end of the school term, and was in limited contact with an estimated 75 students.

The U of L Registrar's Office has provided a complete list of names and contact information to public health officials so they can contact those individuals.

Public Health officials have contacted the student's roommates and immediate contacts on campus as well, and they are in the process of being assessed.

"We moved swiftly to co-operate with public health officials when they contacted us Thursday," says U of L Vice-President, Academic,
Dr. Andy Hakin.

"We are very grateful the student is receiving treatment and is recovering. At the same time, we are also concerned about the well-being of our students and employees on campus, so we are working quickly to ensure that public health officials can contact them to determine their level of exposure."

The case poses no risk to the general population.

As a special note to the campus community, only those individuals directly contacted by Alberta Health officials are affected. Freedom of Information and Privacy guidelines preclude releasing any information that would identify the student.

Only those individuals deemed to be in close contact with the ill person will be advised to have a TB skin test to help determine whether or not they are affected.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria can infect any body organ, but it only spreads to other people when it infects the lungs.

People may have a cough lasting longer than 3 weeks, fever, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, night sweats and constant tiredness.

A person can get TB when someone with TB coughs, sneezes or talks, placing the TB bacteria in the air. Another person may breathe in the bacteria.

An average healthy person needs to spend several hours a day over a few months with an infected person to get TB. In some cases the infection may be passed on in less time.

In most people exposed to TB the body seals off the infection. Only 10 per cent of people exposed to TB will develop an active disease.

Students or any member of the public with a concern about this illness can contact the Alberta Health Link hotline at 1-866-408-5465.

If you feel the flu, take proper steps

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:17:52 +0000

With all this talk about H1N1 virus, did you ever wonder what it would be like to actually be ill with the virus and what would happen if you did get ill?

If you have recently been to Mexico or have been around someone who has, the virus comes into your body without you being aware prompting the
immune system to begins to try and recognize the virus. Without antibody recognition, your body eventually loses the battle to eliminate the virus and three or so days after contact, your body begins to let you know that it has had a viral attack.

Typically, influenza causes the body/muscles to ache and you feel weak and tired. You may experience headaches, followed by fever, coughing, sneezing and a runny nose. Some people experience nausea and diarrhea as the viral can also replicate in the bowel. Influenza symptoms can lead to 3 to 10 days of feeling ill or, especially if you have other health problems or the influenza type is very virulent, you can have more troubles with coughing and breathing problems.

Because of the extensive media coverage of Influenza A H1N1, people may suspect they have this particular virus and would call Health Link at their toll-Free number, 1-866-408-5465. They may ask you to call a physician clinic or go to Emergency, depending on your symptoms.

If you call the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Health Centre at 403-329-2484, you will be greeted by one of the Health Centre staff. You would explain that Health Link has asked you to call and they would let you know your appointment time and ask you not to enter the Health Centre Clinic directly.

When you show up, if you do not have a N-95 mask, one will be provided to you. You will be asked to wait in a separate room from the usual reception area. A doctor will come into the separate room dressed in a yellow gown with gloves, mask and goggles. An assessment will then be done, including temperature, discussion of symptoms, physical examination and a nasopharyngeal swab (nasal swab to find out if this virus is H1N1). I'll be honest, the swab goes up the nose and it can hurt.

Depending on the results of the assessment, the doctor may send you home or they may send you to hospital if your symptoms are severe. Anti-viral medications may be ordered but not antibiotics (as those medications do not work on viruses). You will be asked to stay at home for seven days following the onset of the illness. If you are ill longer than seven days after illness onset, they will ask you to stay at home until you are well, as you may be contagious longer than someone who is getting well quicker.

If you are ill at home, you should be in a separate, well-ventilated room. Cover your coughs and clean your hands often. A good household disinfectant should be used to clean surfaces and everyone in the home should be cleaning their hands regularly. As well, all items that are in common should be thoroughly cleaned with warm soapy water (dishes, bed linens, bathrooms, clothing etc).

Your caregivers should wear a mask outside of the home to keep from spreading the illness in case they are in the early stages of infection. You would, of course, wear a mask when outside your room and around your family. Masks can be bought at pharmacies, hardware stores etc.

Patients should also avoid being around pregnant women as they are at increased risk of influenza-related complications and may have less immunity while pregnant.

Generally, after seven days from the onset of illness, if you begin to feel better, you can make judgments about when to return to your daily activities.

It might be time to investigate/decide whether or not you and your family will get a flu shot this upcoming October/November!

Lori Weber - RN/Manager - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Health Centre

UNews - 1-866-408-5465

Boil Water Order in effect at ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ, throughout region

Related Topics

Student ill with tuberculosis

Related Topics

If you feel the flu, take proper steps

Related Topics

Boil Water Order in effect at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, throughout region