Canada, Sunday 03 May 2009: Some 30 new cases of the potentially deadly H1N1 influenza virus were reported in Canada, bringing the total number of people infected throughout the country to over 85.

In Nova Scotia 17 people were reported as being sick with mild symptoms of the virus, according to local health officials.

Of the new cases, 11 were students at King’s-Edgehill School, where earlier cases had been reported last Sunday, in the eastern province’s city of Windsor.

“We have been expecting this and are prepared,” said Robert Strang, chief public health officer for Nova Scotia, adding that there have been no reports of hospitalizations for the new cases, which brought to 31 the number of infected people in the province.

But he warned in a statement that more cases were expected and that they could be more severe or even cause deaths.

Quebec also reported fresh cases, a schoolchild, who had been in Mexico.

Canada has now recorded the third highest number of cases of swine flu after the United States and Mexico, which has been at the epicentre of the outbreak with 16 confirmed deaths and 427 confirmed cases.