Kirsten Murphy
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 22/01) - Public health officials are looking into several cases of food poisoning possibly caused by contaminated chicken.

Iqaluit physician Dr. Mark Sherman contacted environmental health Oct. 18 after four of his patients showed up with stomach cramps, fever and diarrhea at Baffin Regional Hospital last week. The symptoms are typical of food poisoning.

All four people, three from one family, ate chicken from the same food outlet days earlier.

"It could be a coincidence and it's also flu season," Sherman said. He added, however, that, "if it were 10 people than I'd be more willing to make a connection."

Environmental health officer Philip Reeve is looking into the matter. He said further investigation will follow if a connection between the illness and food becomes clear.

Matthew Hough was one of the four people treated by Sherman. He lost two days of work after eating a chicken dinner.

"Within two hours of eating the last piece my stomach started to give in. It was very painful," Hough said.

Food poisoning symptoms take anywhere one hour to several days to surface, making the precise cause difficult to determine.

Hough said he has no doubt the chicken was the source, but he also has no plans to pursue the matter other than through avoidance.

"I assume it's an isolated incident. I'll just think twice before (buying chicken from there)."

The food outlet's manager called the allegations vicious rumours and declined further comment.