Equity in focus: Iqaluit water contaminated, tuberculosis on the rise, blood ban easing – CMAJ

Nunavut declared a local state of emergency in Iqaluit after tests confirmed “exceedingly high” concentrations of fuel in the water supply.

Iqaluit’s mayor warned the city’s 8000 residents against drinking tap water even after boiling.

Qikiqtani General Hospital — the only hospital in the city and territory — will perform only emergency surgeries until the risks posed by the contamination are clearer. The hospital is using single-use medical instruments wherever possible.

According to Nunavut’s chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson, high concentrations of fuel in the water could make it difficult for health care workers to wash their hands properly and dangerous to sterilize medical instruments in a steam autoclave.

Read More: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/193/44/E1706