Island Health has reported an outbreak of shigellosis, a highly contagious intestinal illness, within the unhoused community on the South Island. The infection, caused by Shigella bacteria, spreads primarily through contaminated food, water, surfaces, or direct person-to-person contact, typically stemming from fecal contamination.
Currently, five probable cases have been identified, though health authorities caution that this figure likely underrepresents the true scale of the outbreak due to incomplete reporting and testing. “More test results and investigations are underway, and not all illnesses are reported to health care providers,” Island Health noted in a statement to local news outlet CHEK.
Symptoms of shigellosis include fever, diarrhea—potentially containing blood or mucus—stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and an intense urge to pass stool. Nicole Mucci, a spokesperson for the Union Gospel Mission, highlighted the troubling situation, noting that their mobile outreach team has encountered severely ill individuals in various encampments on the lower Island. Many of these individuals lack access to healthcare and are migrating to municipalities with more service options.
Island Health is also investigating possible links between the current outbreak and a September incident in the Cowichan Valley. The issue of shigellosis is not isolated to the South Island; reports indicate outbreaks in other regions of British Columbia and across Canada. Mucci recalled a similar outbreak four years ago in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, emphasizing the deadly potential of the disease and how rapidly it can spread.
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This year has seen outbreaks elsewhere, including in January in Toronto, and ongoing issues in Edmonton, where Alberta Health Services documented 447 individuals with shigella since August 2022, 309 of whom required hospitalization. A concerning aspect of these infections is the emergence of drug-resistant strains of Shigella, particularly in Europe, Australia, and the United States. In a recent study, Dr. Aleksandra Stefanovic, a clinical professor at the University of British Columbia, noted that while cases have been sporadic in cities like Seattle and Vancouver, the problem is not yet deeply entrenched.
In response to the outbreak, the City of Victoria was in court last week asserting that it is not responsible for providing washrooms to those experiencing homelessness. When questioned about the outbreak’s impact on city policy, officials stated they would defer to Island Health’s guidance on any necessary measures. Colleen Mycroft, a city spokesperson, mentioned that the city relies on Island Health to determine escalated responses.
Island Health confirmed that it is collaborating with the city and other partners to enhance long-term sanitation and hygiene measures designed to mitigate health risks and prevent future outbreaks. Mucci stressed that addressing shigella outbreaks is indicative of broader systemic issues, highlighting the urgent need for access to hygiene and sanitation services, such as public washrooms and washing facilities for the unhoused population.
