The Thunder Bay District Health Unit on Wednesday announced that the invasive Group A streptococcus strain known as emm-59 has infected 75 people in Thunder Bay and killed 10 of them. Health authorities came to know about it in late February. But the general public was made aware about it on Wednesday. Dr. Dave Williams, Ontario's chief medical officer of health said that the strain, which first appeared on the British Columbia coast in 2006, could move into Quebec and the Maritimes in the coming fall and winter months.

Health officials in Thunder Bay said that the overall risk to the public from the outbreak is low. They added that the “marginalized people have been affected more than most” and add efforts are being directed toward street outreach programs. 

Opposition members criticized the provincial government for not informing the public sooner about the outbreak. Health Minister David Caplan was not in the legislature. Deputy premier and former health minister George Smitherman told that the government knew about the issue in May and had been working with health units to deal with the infection. 

He added that at the very same time that the minister became aware, they advised the health unit to alert local physicians, which was done, and the health unit sent out an alert to all of those local communities. 

He said that the strain is no deadlier than any other strep strain, but does seem to hit marginalized communities and people, such as the homeless and intravenous drug users. He said half of the 10 who died from strep had the emm-59 strain and most lived high-risk lifestyles. The victims ranged in age from 39 to 77, were mostly men.