With 40 deaths and hundreds of people suffering neurological issues, the Canadian province of New Brunswick is demanding answers. Local authorities have continuously dismissed their worries about what appears to be a mysterious disease. Hundreds of members of the community have suffered dementia-like symptoms and even paralysis for over a decade.
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Health officials first reported cases of the unknown brain illness in 2012. These individuals demonstrated symptoms that were comparable to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This rare brain disorder, according to Mayo Clinic, presents symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease. However, these are much worse and often lead to death.
The Canadian government offered $5 million to investigate the issue in New Brunswick. However, the local Public Health Department conducted a study on its own. They didn't use the funds, according to the Daily Mail. They dismissed the theory of a brain disease causing the issues and determined that affected patients were suffering from dementia or even cancer.
Many scientists dispute these conclusions, even questioning the way the local Public Health Department handled the investigation. Now, more than a decade later, 40 people have died. Moreover, approximately 450 others have manifested symptoms related to the illness.
A New Investigation
New Brunswick's new premier, Susan Holt, wants to find the cause of the real issues and conduct more investigations. "The inexplicability of it is agony. Not knowing what's caused it, what's going to happen next, what the treatment path is," she said, according to The Guardian.
"But knowing that it doesn't seem to be treatable and people around you have died from this is terrifying," she continued. "So, I think we need to be doing everything we can to shed some light on this and find a way to stop what's making people sick."
Dr. Michael Coulthart, head of the Canadian Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance System (CJDSS), believes that the situation in New Brunswick is worrisome. "My scientific opinion is that there is something real going on in NB [New Brunswick] that absolutely cannot be explained by the bias or agenda of an individual neurologist," Coulthart said. He said that the sheer number of cases does not align with the conclusion issued by the Public Health Department.
Seeking Answers
Dr. Alier Marrero is one of the few local health officials who are vocal about this controversy. He performed blood tests on several patients that revealed pesticides in their blood. "I am not concluding that this is the cause of what is happening," he told The New York Times. "It is something that is telling me that something is wrong with the environment they live in."
Many of the patients are feeling hopeful that Susan Holt is willing to investigate the disease that afflicts them. "Hopefully with a new leader that seems to have integrity and a heart and soul, things will not just be swept under the rug," said Terriline Porelle. She is one of the patients and has suffered from the disease for four years. "I am hopeful that Premier Holt will do the right thing by us patients and the people of New Brunswick."
