E-Coli epidemic claims Five Lives

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- The small rural town of Walkerton, where Canada's largest E. Coli epidemic

claimed five lives, buried its dead on Saturday.

A police inquiry has been launched into the epidemic in this picturesque farming

community on the banks of the Saugeen river, about 124 miles northwest of

Toronto.

Three children remain in critical condition in the London Health Sciences Centre

on Saturday.

Townsfolk accused civic officials of a cover-up in the contamination of the

water supply with the bacteria that has infected about 1,000 people, or one

fifth of the population.

Canadian flags flew at half mast, in commemoration of the one infant and four

elderly killed by E. Coli, a bacteria hatched in animal feces, spread through

water or food, causing diarrhea, severe cramping, vomiting, and death in 5

percent of cases where the bacteria overcomes the kidneys.

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(Requires Messenger) Water tests still showed slight signs of E.Coli

contamination in the towns' water supply on Friday, and with businesses and

schools closed, many residents decided to leave town until officials declare the

epidemic over.

A protest rally organized by residents blaming the epidemic on government

cutbacks attracted only a dozen people on Saturday.

``There was a funeral today and those not involved who have somewhere else to go

have gone. Others are sick, or are helping the sick,'' said resident Bruce

Davidson, a massage therapist, adding that activity on his street had ground to

a halt.

``Once people recover from the initial shock and the fear of disease I think you

will see the outrage grow,'' said Davidson, whose 9 year old son Matthew is

recovering from E. Coli symptoms.

Davidson and others contend that provincial government cutbacks are at the core

of the E. Coli outbreak, as cash strapped municipal governments were burdened

with the task of testing drinking water in private labs after 1993.

Ontario Premier Mike Harris, and the local Member of Provincial Parliament Bill

Murdoch, both vigorously defended the government's handling of drinking water in

the area.

 

Reuters Photo

``As the truth comes out. We will be angry at whatever happened. In my mind it

was nothing to do with cutbacks,'' Murdoch told Reuters on Friday.

Davidson's spouse, Veronica, created a stir on Friday after Premier Harris

visited the town and left without answering resident's questions.

``We are a small town. We have dealt with death. We continually to deal with

people, neighbors, friends who are hurt and who are sick,'' screamed Veronica

Davidson at the departing Premier.

But once the sad reality of burying the dead set in on Friday, the close knit

community quickly tempered their outrage, and resigned to give the authorities a

chance to solve the problem and investigate how the E. Coli epidemic broke out.

``People are scared,'' said local lawyer Douglas Farr. ``In a small town there

is a different mentality: fix the problem first and find the guy responsible for

it later.''

Nonetheless, lawyers flocked to the town to enlist local residents in class

action suits against the Public Utilities Commission and town officials.

Scott Ritchie, a lawyer from London, Ontario told the media on Friday that he

would file a statement of claim as early as Monday based on damning comments

from the regional Medical Officer of Health Dr. Murray McQuigge.

McQuigge said on Thursday that ``all these deaths could have been prevented'' if

town and utilities commission officials told residents about the E. Coli tainted

water supply when they first knew, or three days prior to the first advisory

issued by McQuigge's office.

Walkerton's small tourist trade is already seeing repercussions of its new found

notoriety as sports clubs cancel events, and tourists cancel reservations in

hotels.

John Murphy, owner of the Lighthouse Hotel on the fringe of Walkerton expressed

dismay over the decision by organizers of an annual billiards championship to

cancel next weekend's tournament in Walkerton.

``That's not good for the town. That's 1,500 people and a lot of money that

isn't coming here now,'' said Murphy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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