Calgary: Call to health agency made too late, says mother of E. coli victim

21.aug.07
CBC.ca News

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A Calgary mother with two children who became ill with E. coli was cited as saying the health region's decision to get help from the federal government about the unusually high number of cases this summer is too little too late.
The story says that since the beginning of June, 58 people have become sick. Among the 11 who had to be hospitalized were Tanya Maksymic's 17-month-old, who ended up with potentially deadly kidney complications due to E.coli O157.
Maksymic says the health region has been unable to pinpoint the source of her girls' illness.
The overall investigation has become so difficult, the health region requested help from the Public Health Agency of Canada, and a field epidemiologist arrived last week.
The agency only conducts these kinds of investigations 15 times a year across the country.
Maksymic was quoted as saying, "I'm glad they're bringing in someone, but I think it's too little too late. We're over a month and a half now and I'm not sure they'll ever get to the bottom of it, and it's kind of a shame."
Dr. Richard Mustow, a medical director with the Calgary Health Region, was cited as saying there are generally more E. coli cases in the summer because more people barbeque hamburger and that the Public Health Agency of Canada is only contacted if "there's something unusual about a situation, or the numbers are getting larger and it's hard for us to keep up with it."