The father of a Grade 6 boy from Spul’u’Kwuks elementary, who has been crippled by a rare bacterial infection, is taking his fight to change school notification policies to the B.C. Ministry of Health.
Sam Chen, whose son John was hospitalized in March with flesh-eating disease caused by invasive group A streptococcos, is asking Minister of Health Adrian Dix to amend the policy of notification to school classmates and their parents when a student is stricken by the serious, and often fatal, infection.
“We are calling for immediate change of the notification policy, to notify parents of the class immediately when one case of invasive strep A-bacterial infection is confirmed, so that other students can have the letter of notification and seek the treatment when one of the symptoms” appears, notes the Change.org petition, available for any concerned British Columbian to sign.
In March, John was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease. Chen later learned that another classmate had the same invasive strep A bacterial infection a week before.
There were also unconfirmed rumours, according to Chen, that cases of non-invasive strep A infections (such as strep throat) were in the class around this time.
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) policies do not mandate notification letters to parents if one student contracts flesh-eating disease.
In John’s case, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) noted this was the first time it had observed an apparent transmission in a school. Prior to this, school transmissions were never considered and informing parents of one case is thought to cause unnecessary worry and panic, according to VCH officials.
Strep A is a common bacteria that leads to common illnesses. It is rare when it turns invasive and attacks muscles and tendons, as is the case with John.
But cases are on the rise in B.C.
Dr. Monika Naus, of the BCCDC, told the Richmond News that 2016 had the most cases of invasive strep A (303) since record-keeping began in 1997 and that 2017 is on pace to set a new record.
“There’s no harm to have the notification system in place if there’s one invasive strep A case confirmed; notifying the parents to be alert, there’s no harm in it,” said Chen.
“Without the letter, it’s difficult for doctors and hospitals to have a prompt and correct diagnosis.”
Had a letter been sent out, Chen said a general practitioner likely wouldn’t have prescribed - as what did happen to John - Advil and bed rest for what was a fast-moving, lethal infection with symptoms such as fever, body soreness, fatigue and sore throat.
Richmond school trustee Sandra Nixon has said she supports a policy amendment.
John, a scout and Canucks fan, is now recovering at Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children in Vancouver and now has no ability to stand and has lost significant amounts of muscles in several limbs.
Chen said he still has questions about what happened at Spul’u’kwuks in March and wonders if health officials would have sent their own children to school if they knew there was one case of invasive strep A and two apparent cases of non-invasive strep A.
VCH told the News non-invasive cases are not reportable to the BCCDC.
The Chen family of four has no secondary family to care for them, after immigrating to Canada from China.
After months sitting bedside at the hospital, Chen must soon return to work at a hotel. A GoFundMe.com fundraiser aims to help the family with income loss, renting a one-level home, leasing a wheelchair van, and money for possible treatment in the U.S. (artificial muscles).
The Ministry of Health didn’t respond to the News by the time of going to print.
