Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many northerners have heard about the young man from my constituency currently in an Alberta hospital fighting Necrotizing Fasciitis, better known as the flesh-eating disease. Many of us heard about the disease when there were a number of cases in England last year, then again when the leader of Le Bloc Quebecois was struck with the disease.
The disease appears to arise as a result of severe invasive strep bacterial infections, like strep throat. This common bacteria sometimes produces a toxin. The poison blocks off the blood flow by killing surrounding flesh, then the body's immune system can't reach the infection to control it.
Apparently, there are a handful of such cases each year in larger centres. Most are caught quickly and treated successfully. Medical officials in Edmonton have stated that the disease is not readily transmitted from person to person. There are suspicions that the disease occurs when there has been a trauma, such as a bruise or a cut, after or during a strain or strep infection. In fact, there is less than one in one million chance of getting the disease.
In the case of the young man currently in the hospital, the disease spread fairly rapidly. Doctors are doing all they can to stop the disease and to help him recover. Mr. Speaker, I hope all northerners will join me and the people of the North Slave in lending our support and prayers to this young man and his family in this very difficult time. Mahsi.
---Applause