Spread of severe stomach bug among unhoused people in Montreal raises alarm for shelter workers

CBC News has learned that Santé-Québec is monitoring an increase in shigellosis among people experiencing homelessness in Montreal. The bacterial infection leads to diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever. It is easily transmissible and preventable through hand washing and showering. The problem was first flagged in September when the health authority sent out a notice. The advisory warned of shigella's highly contagious nature. It stressed the need to rapidly report any cases to public health in order to trace the spread. But one worker at one of the city's largest shelters, the Old Brewery Mission, worries the measures in place are not sufficient. CBC has agreed not to name them because they are concerned about the impact speaking out could have on their job. Employees are not confident it's being taken seriously enough, they said, adding, we don't feel supported. The worker told CBC that as recently as last week, There was no soap in the men's bathroom. They say they reported the situation to Quebec's workplace health and safety watchdog. There's no outbreak in our facility. William Hodgson, spokesperson for the Old Brewery Mission, says that at the moment only suspected cases are on site. And since the advisory, they've been in constant communications with Santé-Québec and that it's doubled down on health precautions. At another shelter in Montreal's East End, The executive director says they're also being careful. We have even had to make difficult decisions, including temporarily restricting access to certain services for people we house in order to limit the risk of transmission. This really relates to a crisis in adequate housing. Experts say outbreaks of shigellosis are becoming more common in Canadian cities. Unfortunately, it's a disease of poverty, and this is partially why we're seeing more of it. Public Health says 45 cases of shigellosis have been confirmed among the city's homeless population since late August. It says typically in one year, 150 cases are recorded and that it's doing everything it can to ensure people have access to services and shelters.