An outbreak of a very aggressive form of strep has led to at least one death among Montreal's homeless population, health officials say.
“It’s very troubling," admitted Sam Watts, CEO of the Welcome Hall Mission. "Here’s the problem, vulnerable people don’t generally go to see a doctor, they don’t go to hospitals, they don’t like doing that. The problem is they don’t get treatment and if they don’t get treatment, then a disease like this can progress.”
In a letter to shelters, the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal called for added vigilance after six men between the ages of 44 and 75 years old have been infected with invasive group A streptococcus since mid-March.
Two other men are suspected to have been infected, but that has not been confirmed.
Brian Ward, a professor of infectious diseases and microbiology at the MUHC, says the homeless carry a higher risk for infection from microoganisms like strep A.
“Many homeless people have limited access to showers and bath and so many homeless people have problems with skin conditions,” he said. “If you have breaks in your skin, that’s a place where something like streptococcus A can enter.”
Kyle Foley is a regular resident at the Welcome Hall Mission. He says with so few places for the homeless to seek refuge, they are forced into close contact in shelters.
“When they’re in there and it’s hot, everyone knows virulent strains of disease, they grow bigger,” he said. “Not having any kind of training, scholastically, I would think it’s hygiene, a lot of guys don’t put a lot of emphasis on their hand hygiene.”
New disinfectant and bedding protocols have been put in place at Montreal shelters in response to the outbreak, and more nurses visits are being done with shelter users.
That's not enough for Watts.
“I think the government needs to provide more resources to people who are on the front lines, like Welcome Hall Mission,” he challenged. “What we need to do is accompany people to medical appointments so we can get the kind of care you and I can get because we can advocate for ourselves. They have a great deal of difficulty advocating for themselves in the medical system.”
—with files from Rob Lurie of CTV Montreal