KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET - The territory is seeing its worst tuberculosis outbreak in more than a decade, with 87 cases diagnosed so far this year.

From Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 87 TB cases were diagnosed in Nunavut, with 92 per cent of them in the Baffin region, said Elaine Randell, communicable disease consultant with Nunavut's Department of Health and Social Services.

She added 40 of those cases were in Iqaluit, 27 in Cape Dorset and the rest in other communities. Randell also said 15 to 24-year-olds were hit the hardest.

The outbreak peaked in May. Only three TB cases were diagnosed in the territory in September.

"There seems to be a downward trend, although with TB, it's probably too early to tell but we're hoping that this is the beginning of a downward trend," she said.

"It would appear that Iqaluit and Cape Dorset both have their own strains. The outbreaks don't seem to be related."

This year's surge in cases already surpasses the previous record set in 2008, when 58 people were diagnosed with TB, an infectious and potentially deadly disease that often attacks the lungs.

"Nunavut has all the elements for a perfect storm when it comes to TB," she said.

"You have a high rate of infection among the Inuit, which makes all the communities sort of at risk for outbreaks. You also have the social determinants for health - the poverty, access to healthy foods, crowded housing conditions, those sorts of things."

Those factors make the territory "ripe for this type of outbreak," she said.

She added they have traced anyone who might have been in contact with an infected person, sought other cases and added staff to the busiest areas.

Randell said they are also revising the TB manual for health care workers and developing a communications strategy.

She said they have even offered taxi vouchers as incentives for people to come for treatment.

"For the most part, most of the clients have been very co-operative in helping us," she said.

In Cape Dorset, Mayor Cary Merritt, as the general manager of the local co-op, has provided food vouchers to the co-op's restaurant as an incentive for people to follow their treatment.

"It's helping making sure people come in to get their treatments on time," he said.

"We're not so worried because we have a really good nurse in place right now. She's been very proactive with making sure people come in and get their treatment. I believe she is really doing a good job bringing down the cases now and with the level of treatment, she's ensuring it's happening. I think we will see a drastic reduction now."

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