Discussions

Canadian medical officials are warning against attending "swine flu parties" where people expose themselves or their children to the H1N1 virus in hopes that mild sickness now will make them immune if the illness turns more deadly in the fall.  
 
Dr. David Butler-Jones, head of the Public Health Agency of Canada, said it's "a very dangerous practice." Rumours are everywhere on social networking sites where parents are considering holding the modern-day equivalent of "chicken pox parties". At one time these were thought to protect children from more severe illness in the pre-vaccine era.  
 
With 227 new cases this week, the total of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 685. Four people have died.