Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Montreal public health officials are investigating three cases of legionellosis, known as Legionnaires' Disease, including one death. The Montreal Regional Public Health Department said Wednesday the three cases were reported in the Anjou and Mercier West areas between July 29 and Aug. 8. One of the three people, a man, died from complications of the disease.
Surveillance of wastewater data is suggesting that COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in Canada as provinces have eased public health restrictions. The resurgence is taking place in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and parts of British Columbia, according to an analysis by Global News. “The reality is that as all of the restrictions come off in terms of masking and the other measures which have been in place for some period of time, we can expect that more cases are going to be out there,” said Dr. Steve Hrudey, chair of the research advisory group of the Canadian Water Network COVID 19 Wastewater Coalition. “The next few days to weeks are going to be important to watch,” he said.
An outbreak of legionnaires' disease is responsible for the deaths of two people in east-end Montreal, according to public health officials. At a news conference Wednesday, officials said they have identified 10 cases of the disease since mid-June, including the deaths of two people over the age of 65. The area of concern is bordered by Pie-IX Boulevard to the west, Highway 25 to the east, Highway 40 to the north and the Saint-Lawrence River to the south.
