MONTREAL — A stomach bug is spreading among Montreal's homeless population, with public health officials confirming 45 cases of shigellosis since late August. The bacterial infection causes diarrhea, cramps and fever. Shelter workers say not enough is being done to contain it, as those experiencing homelessness often lack access to clean water and washrooms for basic hygiene. The city typically records about 150 cases annually across its entire population.
A worker at the Old Brewery Mission said employees are not confident the situation is being taken seriously enough. The person, who spoke anonymously for job security, said they have reported concerns to the province's workplace safety board. William Hodgson, a spokesperson for the shelter, said it takes the matter "very seriously" and is working with public health. "If communications weren't good enough, we want to be better at that," Hodgson said.
Montreal Public Health has sent staff to affected shelters to reinforce hygiene protocols. Spokesperson Geneviève Paradis said it is "crucial that none of these measures restrict access to the care, services and resources people need." The problem was first flagged in September, and a Santé Québec advisory in October warned of a rise in multidrug-resistant shigella infections. That advisory cited the infection's highly contagious nature, crowded shelters and limited sanitary facilities as factors in its spread.
Michelle Patenaude of the shelter group CAP Saint-Barnabé said her organization has been taking precautions. "We welcome particularly vulnerable people daily, in collective environments where infection prevention is a major challenge," she said. "Nobody is taking this situation lightly." She said she had to restrict access to some services at one point. Julien Montreuil of the outreach group L'Anonyme said the situation seems under control for now, but noted that for people in tents, basic public health advice "can sometimes be complicated."
Shigellosis spreads through contact with an infected person's stool, and a microscopic amount of bacteria can cause illness. The infection remains contagious for weeks after symptoms like intense diarrhea subside. It has become more common in homeless populations in cities like Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto, and is increasingly resistant to antibiotics. A recent University of British Columbia study called for greater outreach to crack down on the infection among vulnerable groups. Infectious disease expert Dr. Carl Boodman said shigella is treatable and preventable. He linked outbreaks to a lack of adequate housing and access to "public sanitation infrastructure for those who are experiencing homelessness." The provincial advisory stressed the need for rapid case reporting to trace the infection's transmission.