Additional Services Required in Light of Possible Blastomycosis Outbreak, Says Ontario First Nation | The Canadian News

A First Nation in northern Ontario says it requires additional help as it deals with a possible outbreak of lung infection.

Constance Lake First Nation, a community of more than 900 residents, declared a state of emergency Monday after probable cases of blastomycosis and three recent deaths came to light.

In a press release, the First Nation says it has reported 44 cases, including eight in children, under investigation for lung infection, which is usually caused by a fungus that grows in moist soil, leaves, and decaying wood. .

It says 16 of these cases required members to be hospitalized.

As the community grapples with what Chief Ramona Sutherland calls a “tremendous loss and community crisis,” she says additional services are required.

The chief says the community requires emergency home inspections, additional site assessments, bereavement and mental health counseling, and support for relatives of sick people, among other services.

Indigenous Services Canada has said it is working directly with Sutherland, the Porcupine Public Health Unit, the Ontario government, the Matawa Chiefs Council and other partners to “identify and address the needs of the community.”

Meanwhile, the Ontario Ministry of Health has said the province is supporting the transfer of patients from the hospital in Hearst, noting that an environmental health investigation is underway.