A state of emergency is expected to be declared later today in Constance Lake First Nation following the discovery of an outbreak of a lung infection Blastomycosis (Blast-toe-my-co-sis). In a Facebook message, Chief Ramona Sutherland says the state of emergency will help them get services to their community faster. She adds that four people have been diagnosed with the infection and have been transferred to various hospitals in the region. A team of investigators is expected to arrive from Timmins to look for a cause of the outbreak.
“And it will be four or five days for the results to come back,” she said. “We will push for the return of the results as soon as possible but you know at times there’s testing that needs to be done and that will take some time.”
According various medical websites, Blastomycosis is an infection cause by a fungus in the environment particularly in moist soil or decomposing wood or leaves.
Sutherland encouraged residents to be vigilant if they start feeling ill.
“If you have any symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, fatigue please go to the hospital and get yourself checked,” she said.
