NSCL - Public Health Law

Monday, October 23, 2023

The public health system in Alberta is back in the spotlight with the devastating E. coli outbreak in Calgary in September 2023. As of September 19, there were 38 lab-confirmed cases connected to the outbreak, 8 of whom were receiving care in hospital, along with 27 cases of secondary transmission. The outbreak is believed to be linked to daycares that used a central kitchen. The kitchen suspected to be the source of the E. coli outbreak has previous public health violations and there have been calls for a public inquiry.

The particular strain of E. coli involved in this outbreak is an infectious agent that is capable of producing a communicable disease. E.coli secretes a toxin that can lead to serious organ damage, which in turn can lead to kidney failure.

At recent media scrums, the Premier, the Minister of Health, and the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) have made statements that suggest new regulations governing centralized food kitchens may be needed, and that the CMOH does not have the authority to permanently close a food establishment.

See: 

"Alberta premier orders review of shared kitchens in Calgary as hundreds of kids sick with E. coli”