When residents of Fort McMurray, Alta. are finally given the all clear to return to their homes and start cleaning up from a devastating, once-in-a-century flood, infectious disease experts says they will need to be cautious. “To have the flood on top of what’s happening with COVID-19 is horrifying in some ways,” says University of Alberta infectious disease professor, Dr.
Ameeta Singh. “I’m very hopeful that any further spread of the virus can be mitigated.” Alberta health officials have put measure in place to reduce the risk of an outbreak during the evacuation.
People have been put in hotels and motels, instead of crowded shelter spaces but it’s when the water recedes, and everyone returns to clean up, that experts warn, the risk of