Death from Legionnaires Outbreak in Hamilton

Brad Clark asks Health Minister, George Smitherman to step in …”we need your office to order an independent review of protocols regarding the Legionnaires Outbreak.”

October, 2006 (Hamilton, ON) – Brad Clark has contacted Health Minister George Smitherman requesting that he set up an independent review into how Hamilton officials handled the Legionnaires Outbreak in the City of Hamilton. Local media broke the story in September that in May 2006 there was a report of a possible outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Hamilton. Mayor Larry Di Ianni was notified privately in July of the outbreak, while the City Councillors were notified in an in-camera Board of Health meeting on September18th. Cases of Legionnaires Disease were positively identified on June 6th, July 24th, August 1, 6th, 17th, 20th, 22nd. The public was not notified until September 2006.

Brad Clark states that his request for a review is necessary, “The fact that both the staff and politicians kept silent while people got sick or died is unbelievable. Barbara Wilson, 72, died from the respiratory disease that also made 10 others ill. It could have been far worse as many more people could have gotten sick or died. I have always maintained that the public should always expect and demand full disclosure from their government.”

In a similar outbreak of Legionnaires in Toronto, 2005, Smitherman established an Expert Panel to review and make recommendations to improve the protocols for dealing with infectious disease. Clark feels strongly that there is a need for an independent inquiry and investigation in Hamilton to ascertain by what means the deceased came to her death, how to avoid such deaths in similar circumstances in the future and how to ensure that the public is fully informed during an infectious disease outbreak.

Cooling towers at four downtown buildings tested positive for the legionella bacteria, but officials say there is no longer a risk of infection.

Brad Clark is the former Ontario Minister of Labour and Transportation and MPP for Stoney Creek, and is a candidate in the 2006 Hamilton Municipal election.

Report of the Expert Panel on the Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak in the City of Toronto, September/October 2005: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/ministry_reports/walker_legion/rep_final_120505.pdf

October 2, 2006

Hon. George Smitherman
Hepburn Block, 10th Flr
80 Grosvenor St
Toronto ON M7A2C4

RE: Death from Legionnaires Outbreak in Hamilton

Dear Minister: It has been reported by local media that on or about May 25th, 2006, there was an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in the City of Hamilton that spanned many months. At the present time, there are 11 known cases and one known death, a Dundas Grandmother, Barbara Wilson age 72.

The public was not notified of the outbreak until the story was leaked to the local media on September 22, 2006. It has been reported that the Mayor was notified privately in late July. The Board of Health comprised of City Councillors was notified in an in-camera meeting September 18th. The Board of Health and the City Councillors decided NOT to inform the public. It has also been reported that cases of Legionnaires Disease were positively identified by Public Health Staff on June 6th, July 24th, August 1, 6th, 17th, 20th, 22nd. The public has since been advised that the City will be conducting an internal review of their communications policies.

Minister, the lack of notice to the public where there may have been significant risk to the general public is of grave concern to this community. The community will not be served by leaving the review of this matter to the very people who refused to inform the general public. I would like to remind you that when there was a similar outbreak of Legionnaires in Toronto, 2005, you established an Expert Panel to review and make recommendations to improve the protocols for dealing with infectious disease. Clearly, there is a need for such an independent inquiry and investigation to ascertain by what means the deceased came to her death, how to avoid such deaths in similar circumstances in the future and how to ensure that the public is fully informed during an infectious disease outbreak which would assist in the control of the outbreak.

Sincerely yours,

Brad Clark

Brad looks out from a rare Karst cave in Upper Stoney Creek where he successfully preserved 150 acres of natural caves in the area.