H1N1 assessment clinics in N.S. begin to close

Health officials in Nova Scotia's largest health districtsay there are signs that swine flu infectionsin the province areslowly waning.

Flu assessment clinics in Burnside and Windsor closed Monday evening because the number of people using the services has declined.

Karen MacRury-Sweet, the pandemic planning director for the Capital District Health Authority, said on peak days a few weeks agothe clinics were seeingabout400 peoplea day.

"What we saw on the weekend, two days combined: 120," she said. "Of that, I think there were less than 20 children. So there's a significant drop and it just bottomed right out."

The assessment clinic at the Halifax Forum will be open from 11 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. until the end of the day on Wednesday.

"Certainly H1N1 is here, it's still here, but we are not seeing the peak that we saw a couple of weeks ago," said MacRury-Sweet.

"It is more like a flu that we would see in any normal time in our community, and so that there is not a need anymore for an area specifically for patient assessment."

Health officials said the assessment sites could be reactivated if the need arises.

Swine flu vaccination clinics in Nova Scotia opened to the general public lastFriday.