Deadly Strep Outbreak in Thunder Bay

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit says an outbreak of invasive Group A streptococcal infections has left 10
people dead.
The health unit first became aware that there might be an outbreak of the potentially dangerous disease at the end of February
but didn’t make it public until Wednesday.
At a news conference, the health unit said 75 people had been
infected over the past year and 10 have died.
One-third of all those infected are seriously ill.
Of the 75, health unit epidemiologist Lee Sieswerda said 60 cases
are in Thunder Bay and the majority of the deaths also occurred in
the city.
Sieswerda said there are normally six cases a year and one death.
From August to December 2007, there were 21 cases in Thunder Bay
district and 26 by the end of February.
By June, the number of cases had risen to 49, but the public was
not notified.
Sieswerda said medical officer of health, Dr. Nancy Cameron, made
the decision not to go public with it because more harm than good
would come of it.
Director of health protection Ken Allan said rather than go
public, the focus was on public health intervention and dealing
directly with the people at risk and their close contacts.