Kitimat Work Camp Experiencing Noro Virus Outbreak
Kitimat, B.C.- The Alcan Modernization Project work camp at Kitimat is nearing it’s peak capacity and the ills that can go along with so many living in close quarters.
There are about 1500 workers at the camp, and in the past couple of weeks, a gastro-intestinal bug has made its way through the ranks. Northern Health’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Ronald Chapman says the bug appears to be NoroVirus “About 75 cases have been reported of people having diarrhea and nausea. We were notified about a week ago, and what we’ve done, is put various measures in place with the medical team there (at the work camp).”
Dr. Chapman says those measures include isolating patients until they are stabilized, and educating camp workers about the outbreak and the importance of hand washing. Dr. Chapman says while not confirmed yet, it is suspected the bug is “Noro Virus” because there is ongoing transmission of the illness “We are seeing about 3 cases every day in a work camp of about 1500 people. People are sick for a short period of time, about 2 days, then they feel fine and they get back to work again.” Dr. Chapman says lab tests have not yet confirmed that it is Noro Virus, but he feels pretty confident that that is what they are dealing with.
Noro Virus is very easy to spread says Dr. Chapman, as the virus remains active on surfaces and anyone touching that surface can pick it up “As soon as you haven’t washed your hands, you can get the virus. Handwashing is the main block to transmission and as we know, not everyone is good with handwashing.”
He says the virus doesn’t cause a serious disease, “It’s just a nuisance.” There has been concern among some workers because one of their colleagues has recently died, but Dr. Chapman is quick to say Noro Virus was not to blame, “If someone died it was definitely not because of the NoroVirus, because it is a very mild infection that people get. If someone died, it’s due to other causes.”
Colleen Nyce, head of Communications for the Rio Tinto Modernization Project confirms one of the workers has died, but says the illness was not the same bug the other workers are experiencing. “That worker did not report to medical staff at the camp, and sadly, during his off time when he was away from the camp, succumbed to pneumonia but medical staff here had not been advised that he was suffering from any illness before he left for his time off.”
Dr. Chapman says controlling the illness is difficult because people come and go from the work camp, and the illness is also circulating in the community, so there is always a risk of people bringing the bug out to the community then back into the work camp.
Nyce says some workers were “contained” to help prevent the spread of the illness and that a bulletin has been issued to all workers at the camp to “be vigilant” with handwashing, cleaning surfaces with proper products and says “We are just encouraging anyone who is feeling ill to seek medical attention.”
Comments
Last thing we need, lets hope this situation is contained.
My husband is currently living in the camp there and he said yesterday that the illness is being quarantined and being kept on the down low. No information is being relayed to the camps inhabitants on prevention or even what it is. hopefully they actually plan on doing what they have said has already been done and start informing the men and women in the camp soon.
It could be they ate my wife’s cooking?
my brother is there I will call him tonight and find out if he knows about this
In our safety meeting this morning we were told there were 25 quareented in camp . We were also told that the gentleman that died was here for 5 days ,sick in his room. He died in hospital in the lower mainland. The company we work for will physically check on us if we don’t show up by coffee time. There was an employee who didn’t show at 6:30. They located him by 7:00. On cruise ships you are forced to sanitize your hands on the way into the diningroom. Not here where there is a known outbreak. The sanitizer is available for those that care to use it. I’ ll be out of this prison next week. I hope I don’t bring home any uninvited guests with me.
Obviously no consideration for such an incident was given by those responsible for the camp.
Northern Health inspects a variety of installations such as restaurants. On would think that a “camp” of this type would be there responsibility to inspect for health procedures in place. There are first aid attendants required on job sites. One would think that with that large a “camp” some sort of health nurse would have to be included to prevent or respond to these kind of situation at an early stage.
I do not know anything about such regulations which might be in place. Maybe someone else posting has some knowledge about that.
There is a small clinic in the camp buildiings. I don’t know about the qualifications of the staff. They are very approachable. Walked in at 9:00 at night to get a flue shot last fall and was asked about my overall well being. Not sure what services they offer.There is a first aid post on the work sight as well.
There was a propane leak from a large tank yesterday. It was handled quickly. I believe it was a minor leak. My concern is people walking by smoking. There is,an unenforced smoking policy that states in designated smoking areas. On Wedsnesday the site was shut down for the day for a,site wide cleanup. The big brass was here to take a look yesterday. It was comical watching superintedents scurry around like rats picking up cigarette buts. Coffee break is over back to work.
When I was in the military and travelled, we called it “the gut”. You mainly got it from drinking the local water. We were warned never to drink any water that wasn’t bottled. “the gut” wasn’t contagious as far as I know.
There are big health risks living in these work camps. Northern Health is very concerned about the physical and mental health of workers in these camps.
There is no “qualified and professional” health care oversight in these camps… but that’s what happens when a stampede for natural resource extraction happens.
http://news.ca.msn.com/local/britishcolumbia/work-camp-boom-strains-northern-bc-healthcare
I’m here now, sick for days, went for medical help at camp it was closed, ran into one of the medical guys in the hall he said come back tomorrow. Definitly feelin much worse today, all symptoms of viral pneumonia. Hopefully they’ll help me out today…
Just be careful people, it’s the wild, wild west out there these days, no thorough planning and very little control over health, safety, camp conditions, and at times human dignity. This will happen in an all out race to get everything out of the ground and off the land.
Peolple#1.. Have you ever stepped foot in a work camp? I Doubt it.. because that would actually require you to be employed.. I’ve been to many some are nasty and some are cleaner than the university!!
Why yes I have northman, why do you ask?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/tree-planting-company-must-answer-to-bc-human-rights-tribunal-on-working-conditions/article14607019/
I am currently up here working and living at the KMP camp. The Camp staff are “Quarantining” people into one dorm… The Problem is that there are healthy people residing in that dorm without any knowledge of the fact that their dorm is being stuffed with workers that are sick with this virus.
I think it’s disgusting that they would fail to deliver vital information like that.
We have brought up this sickness at multiple meetings and our questions are just brushed aside. Until the recent discovery of a death, management has viewed these concerns as “Not a safety concern”.
I thought it was HEALT and Safety.
Truly Disappointed
The article says they are waiting for the test results, but suspect the virus is Norovirus, but then says not to worry about the guy that died because he had a different virus?
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