More Fort McMurray-area evacuees staying in temporary accommodations in Edmonton have come down with symptoms of a stomach bug. But doctors say the surge in illnesses is not surprising.
Dr. Chris Sikora, the lead medical officer of health for the Edmonton zone, told reporters Tuesday that there are now 105 people showing symptoms of viral gastroenteritis.
Seventy-five of them are staying at the Northlands Expo Centre; the rest are at other centres in Edmonton. He declined to give specifics on their location to protect the patients’ privacy.
Sikora said cleaning staff at Northlands have been working to disinfect the facility and handwashing efforts have been stepped up. But he noted that gastroenteritis typically has an incubation period of one to two days, so it’s not surprising that new cases of the illness are still emerging.
“This isn’t unexpected. It’s following a typical path that we’ve seen in other living facilities,” Sikora told reporters.
He added that, while they don’t yet know which virus caused the illnesses, gastroenteritis outbreaks in shared living facilities typically take a week or so to resolve.
All of those affected are experiencing diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The illness is unpleasant enough to manage at home, but is even more unpleasant to treat in a shared facility, he said.
“When you're away from home, when you’re in a different place, it’s that much more difficult. It's more uncomfortable,” he said.
Still, the illness is not serious for most patients and symptoms typically clear up in three days. The best course of treatment is simply offering patients plenty of hydration.
“For most individuals, it's a nuisance and it’s a significant nuisance,” Sikora said, adding, “It will pass.”
With stepped-up efforts on handwashing and disinfection, the illnesses will slow, he said.
“It’s going to take a few days to see the effects of these procedures,” he said.
