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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A rare case of necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating disease, has been confirmed at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife.

Dr. Andre Corriveau, the NWT's chief medical officer, confirmed the presence of the bacteria on Friday. He said it is only the fourth case his office has seen in the 14 years he has been with the Department of Health and Social Services.

Corriveau said his office received the report on the case roughly two and a half weeks ago, but the patient with the disease was already at Stanton receiving treatment.

Corriveau said there is no risk to public health in this instance.

"It's not really a disease that comes in outbreaks," he said. Corriveau explained that flesh-eating disease is caused by the same bacterium that causes strep throat and gets into a wound.

"That bug can get under skin and causes an infection that spreads really quickly," he said. Symptoms include fever, infection around a cut or bruise that is more painful than expected, and rapid swelling in the affected area.

Corriveau said the last time a case of flesh-eating disease was seen in the NWT was around 2004. Two case were reported that year: one patient survived while the other died.

Al Woods, acting CEO of Stanton Territorial Hospital, said the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was never closed, but access was restricted between Oct. 17 and Oct. 22.

"We have very good protocols for infectious patients," said Wood, adding the protocols are for the protection of staff as well as other patients.

He said there were two patients in the ICU at the time. Woods said he could not comment on specific patients but did say one of the two patients was medevaced to Edmonton. The patient "was stable and needed the next step in treatment," Woods said. He would not confirm if the patient medevaced was the individual with flesh-eating disease.

"Unfortunately (Stanton) does not have its own internal isolation room," said Woods. "We will be going through redevelopment in three or four years and we will be taking that into account."