Syrian refugees arriving in Toronto. Photo: screenshot YouTube Citizenship and Immigration Canada
“Mini-epidemic” among Syrian refugees in Edmonton paralizes social services
A letter, obtained by Global News,
confirms that the number of “acutely ill” Syrian refugees in Edmonton
has been much greater than expected, and is stretching the Alberta
city’s health care and other resources to the limit.
The letter, written by Karen DeViller, director of the East Edmonton Health Centre, says “the refugees arriving to Edmonton are more acutely ill upon arrival than what we were told to expect”.
According to Jason Gariepy of Catholic Social Services (CSS), the “mini-epidemic” is draining the organization’s resources, with staff making three to five trips a day to medical clinics and hospitals. CSS estimates of half of the adults and most of their children have come down with a cold or the flu.
Dr. Christopher Sikora, Edmonton’s chief medical officer of health, told the CBC: “We have a group of individuals arriving in Canada who have underlying chronic diseases, who come from an environment where things weren’t very good, and travelling through influenza (and) gastrointestinal virus season. It’s not every month you’re going to have 450 people come from an unsafe environment.”
The letter, written by Karen DeViller, director of the East Edmonton Health Centre, says “the refugees arriving to Edmonton are more acutely ill upon arrival than what we were told to expect”.
According to Jason Gariepy of Catholic Social Services (CSS), the “mini-epidemic” is draining the organization’s resources, with staff making three to five trips a day to medical clinics and hospitals. CSS estimates of half of the adults and most of their children have come down with a cold or the flu.
Dr. Christopher Sikora, Edmonton’s chief medical officer of health, told the CBC: “We have a group of individuals arriving in Canada who have underlying chronic diseases, who come from an environment where things weren’t very good, and travelling through influenza (and) gastrointestinal virus season. It’s not every month you’re going to have 450 people come from an unsafe environment.”
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