From: Number 45. June, 1993. Canadian Immigration Hotline

Children Threatened By TB Brought In By Poorly-Screened "Refugees"

"Some Etobicoke parents are threatening to pull their kids from a school where 38 cases of tuberculosis have been confirmed. ... 'I am a reasonable person, but I am scared to death,' said registered nursing assistant Laura Mitchell, who is keeping her six-year-old son, Matthew, home. The boards of health and education met with Kingsview parents April 22 and told them their kids are safe. ... 'We want the 100 per cent testing across the board. One active case is one too many,' said Marilyn Penney, who is considering keeping her daughter home. About half the students at Kingnsview are from Somalia, where tuberculosis is common." (Toronto Sun, May 11, 1993) Next door in Mississauga, "500 students at ... Gelnforest Secondary School ... will undergo mandatory tuberculosis testing after recent voluntary tests showed 25 others had been exposed to the TB bacteria. ... Dr. Peter Cole, medical officer of health for Peel Region, ... said he was not surprised to see the tuberculosis cases because the school has a high immigrant population. ... Tuberculosis is a serious disease, potentially deadly, but it can be treated in most cases. ... Cole said: 'Physicians whose patients are not immigrant patients are sort of lulled into the idea that we don't have TB. Not now, with an increased number of newcomers to Canada.'" (Toronto Star, May 8, 1993)