E. COLI PROBLEM MADE WORSE BY LOCAL WATER AUTHORITY

============RUMOR MILL NEWS AGENCY=========

Rayelan Allan, Publisher

A Rumor Mill News Reader in Canada sent the following ---

"Please see my website story on water ---

http://www.torontostreetnews.com

Walkerton is a small town in a pocket of small towns here in southern Ontario. The problem was complicated by the local water authority claiming the water was safe BEFORE the lab tests came in!!!

-- Victor P. Fletcher"

http://www.torontostreetnews.com

Toronto Street News - home page

4 DEAD: The Brocktown Public Utilities Commission assured officials the water was safe:

25/05/2000

by Walkerton (CP)

News Updates May 24, 23:21 EDT

Fourth death reported in E. coli outbreak

WALKERTON, Ont. (CP) - Four people have died in what one health official from this southwestern Ontario town has called the worst E. coli outbreak in Canadian history.

The fourth death was an elderly woman who died Wednesday evening, said hospital officials in Walkerton. Earlier in the day, officials confirmed two adults and a baby died in London Health Sciences Centre from complications associated with the bacteria.

At least three more children, who are particularly vulnerable to the potentially deadly bacteria, were in critical condition at the London hospital. Two were receiving dialysis treatment after suffering total kidney failure.

Hundreds more were still stricken with its symptoms: diarrhea, cramps, nausea and fever, although fewer than 20 remained in hospital.

''There's never been anything like this in Canada before of this magnitude, never,'' said Dr. Murray McQuigge, the medical officer of health for Grey-Bruce.

McQuigge says the town's water is still ''grossly contaminated,'' almost two weeks after a severe storm caused massive flooding in the area.

The tightly knit community of 5,000 has been gripped with fear since the first symptoms began to surface a week ago.

''It really scared me because I drink a lot of tap water,'' said Karen Little, 43, who showed some of the symptoms earlier this week but recovered without treatment.

Public health officials were alerted to the outbreak last Friday by a pediatrician in nearby Owen Sound who had two cases of bloody diarrhea referred to him from a Walkerton medical clinic.

The Brocktown Public Utilities Commission assured officials the water was safe, McQuigge said.

But his office nevertheless issued a warning Sunday advising residents to start boiling their water. It wasn't until Monday that he received the first test result indicating the water had indeed been contaminated with E. coli, he added.

Some residents are complaining that the warning to boil water was issued too late, leaving many more people vulnerable to infection. The town's mayor has promised to launch an investigation once residents are out of immediate danger.

Since Monday, 160 people were treated at hospital and another 500 telephoned sought medical advice over the telephone. Most were from Walkerton, although some had simply visited the town.

McQuigge says the worst is not over yet as symptoms can take five to seven days to show.

''More people are likely to die from this,'' he said. ''And we know we're going to see more cases.''

Schools and day-care centres were closed Wednesday, with officials to decide today whether it was safe for children to return to their normal routines.

While local hospitals have been strained for days, neighbourhood coffee shops sat empty, with regulars too afraid to drink the water.

Several manufacturers of bottled water set up stands in the town's centre to give away their products to frightened residents.

A homemade sign on the drive into the town read: ''E. coli please go away.''

Among those who died this week were Lenore Al, a 66-year-old retired library worker, and Edith Pearson. Both were from Walkerton.

McQuigge was reluctant to release information about the victims, saying it would be too upsetting to their families.

He said people should not take antibiotics or anti-diarrhea medication to fight off the bacteria since anyone who does is 14 times more likely to develop kidney complications.

Grace Forsyth, a local homemaker, says she was drinking the medication she was prescribed for her diarrhea along with the contamined water.

''I was doing the wrong thing,'' she said, ''because I was drinking more water, thinking it was going to help because I didn't want to get dehydrated.''

Another resident, Mary Tilker, said just keeping her two children fed is a struggle.

''It's rough because you have to boil all the water ahead of time instead of just being able to put it in your pot and cook,'' she said.

''The kids are fine now but I'm worried because they can still get it.''

E. coli normally live in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals, such as cattle. Most strains are harmless but some can be deadly. It can be transmitted by eating undercooked meat from a contaminated cow, unpasturized milk or apple juice.

The E. coli bacteria produces toxins that contaminate the body. In severe cases, the infection leads to kidney failure. Although people rarely die from E. coli, the young and elderly are at greater risk.

It was unclear how exactly Walkerton's water supply became contaminated, but officials from all three levels of government were investigating.

Humans could have picked up the bacteria from animals or they could have caught it from other people through hand-to-mouth contact.

Dan Newman, Ontario's environment minister, said it isn't the time to assign blame.

''Today, I don't think is the day to point fingers at anyone,'' he said.

Ministry officials are working with officials in neighbouring municipalities to ensure the contamination doesn't spread, he added.

The epidemic is just the latest of thousands of similar outbreaks around the world every year that leave millions scrambling for the toilet and suffering its uncomfortable symptoms.

Check out Victor’s webpage -- he has a lot of important information. R.