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No Visitors or Patients Being Admitted FLU OUTBREAK SHUTS HOSPITAL Community Memorial Hospital in Port Perry has been forced to close its doors to visitors and admissions because of a severe flu outbreak that has hit patients and staff. Administrator David Brown said Monday morning the decision to restrict visitors and admissions was made by hospital officials Friday afternoon and he expects the restric- tions will remain in place until at least Wednesday of this week. The busy Emergency Department remains open, but any patients who need to be admitted are being sent to Oshawa General Hospital, said Mr. Brown. The flu outbreak carries symp- toms similar to those of the Norwak strain which has shut several hospitals in the Toronto area in the past couple of weeks. Mr. Brown said that tests are now underway by the provincial laboratory to try to pin-point the type of flu virus in Port Perry and he is hopeful that the lab reports will be available to him by mid-week. He said that as of Monday morn- ing, 15 patients had come down with Miss Canada Miss Canada Rene Newhouse of British Columbia was on hand Sunday afternoon at Dagmar to take part in the tail end festivities. 'celebrating Ski Week. The 19 year old spent time meeting hyn- dreds of skiers who flocked to the slopes, being the guest of honour at an evening buffet, and enjoying a few runs on her own. Friend- ly, outgoing and sincere, Rene says the best thing about being Miss the flu, along with 11 members of the hospital staff. Symptoms include sore throat and heavy cough, nausea, vomitting and diarrhea. This is the first time in several years that the hospital has had to impose restrictions because of a flu- like outbreak. Mr. Brown said the community Vol. 120 No. 9 tunately, there have been visitors _ and public have "been very respon- sive and understanding of the situa- tion here. We appreciate that." However, he added that "unfor- - who come to hospital when they have the flu symptoms. They should think about this before they decid- ed to come to visit and if they have | Tuesday, January 28, 1986 any of these symptoms, they should stay away." The only exception to the no- visitors rule now in place is for the fathers of new-born babies. Mr. Brown said the situation will be assessed on Wednesday of this week and a decision made then on whether to lift the restrictions. 36 pages Council wantsONIP provincial grants Scugog Township council wants a share of the provincial ONIP grants, and councillors have instructed Scugog's municipal planner John 'McDermott to come up with a full report on the grant program. Mr. McDermott told council Mon- day afternoon that the ONIP (On- tario Neighbourhood Improvement Program) provides money to municipalities for such work as sidewalks, street-lighting, road repairs, improvements to parks and other community facilities. He said that over the past few years, Scugog has done this kind of work without grant help and paid for it from the general Township budget. "You (Scugog) have been missing out on 50 cent dollars," said Mr. McDermott in reference to the terms of the grant program which spell out that any funds provided by the provincial government must be matched by municipal contributions. The ONIP grants are available, he said, to help municipalities do cer- tain work in older, existing neighbourhoods and commercial areas. Mr. McDermott mentioned that 'Uxbridge Township, for example has received $600,000 from the pro- vincial government under the grant plan, and other smaller municipal- ities like Bracebridge and Napanee "+ have also received matching grants. Prior to Mr. McDermott's address to the council, members had just finished a discussion about the possibility of putting a sidewalk along Water Street from Queen Street to Highway 7A. It is this kind of project that could benefit from the ONIP program. And the grants are not limited to Port Perry. They can be used for improvements in smaller hamlets like Greenbank, Blackstock and Caesarea. a. Ward 2 councillor Howard Hall and area councilor Harvey Graha both expressed an interest in th program, stating the potential long term benefits are obvious. However, the cut-off date for ap- plications this year is January 31. The council must first come up with a three-year plan outlining exactly what areas could use the grant (Turn to page 2) Canada is travelling to places like the Scugog area and talking with - people she'd otherwise never get a chance to meet. Township threatens to lay littering charges Scugog Township is threatening to lay charges of littering after several hundred copies of an Oshawa-based advertising publication were found on driveways and sidewalks in Port Perry last week. Township administrator Earl Cuddie said he received complaints from property owners that the publication, wrapped in blue tinted plastic, was being tossed from vehicles at the foot of residential driveways in the community. He said this is not the first time the Township has received similar complaints. Mr. Cuddie said that after receiv- ing the complaints last week, he contacted the publishers of Durham Life and received assurance the practise of leaving the papers on driveways or sidewalks would stop immediately. He issued a stern warning that if the Township receives further com- plaints in the future, the Municipali- ty will take steps to prosecute for littering. About 500 copies of the publica- tions were distributed in the Port Perry area last week. He's a hit! Cecil the Sensible Seal wow- ed the nursing staff at Community Memorial Hospital last week when he made his rounds during Weedless Wednesday pro- moting non-smoking and The Durham Lung Association. For more information on why you shouldn't smoke, on some folks who quit, and on Cecil the Seal, see page 8.