Barry Artiste Op-Ed
With sub zero weather across parts of Canada, Homeless now brought into shelters have health officials looking at the Homeless and their health and to be shocked to see Flesh eating disease among the homeless certainly will not bode well when many are packed tightly together and the possibility it being transferred from one transient to another, perhaps a epidemic, who knows what is in store for those whose lifestyle goes unknown until health officials study it further.
WINNIPEG — An outbreak of potentially deadly flesh-eating disease erupted among Winnipeg’s homeless last year, infecting 12 people with an invasive bacteria that spreads rapidly and causes severe pain and disfiguration.
Winnipeg health officials did not publicly disclose that a cluster of cases was reported in the city area between April and October 2008 until questioned by the Winnipeg Free Press this week.
Dr. Pierre Plourde, a Winnipeg medical officer of health, said inner-city shelters were alerted about the spike in cases and told to watch for anyone with wounds or sore throats who may be at an increased risk of developing the infection.
He said there were four or five strains of flesh-eating disease that were reported and there was no evidence that anyone infected transmitted the disease to another person.
Source: vancouversun.com
