Trichinella advisory issued for Coral Harbour
Infected walrus was harvested on Aug. 21, says Nunavut’s Health Department
Nunavut’s Department of Health is warning Coral Harbour residents that trichinella has been detected in a walrus that was harvested on Aug. 21. (File photo by Dustin Patar)
Nunavut’s Department of Health has issued an advisory to residents in Coral Harbour that a walrus harvested on Aug. 21 has tested positive for trichinella.
Symptoms for trichinella include stomach pain, muscle pain, diarrhea, swollen eyelids, sweating and weakness, according to the advisory. The department recommends that residents speak to their health-care providers if they have consumed uncooked walrus and have experienced trichinella symptoms.
“If you harvest walrus consider getting it tested before eating,” the advisory states. “If you receive walrus from someone else, ask if it has been tested.”
Freezing and fermenting walrus meat will not kill trichinella, the advisory notes; meat must be cooked to kill trichinella. The department has also warned against feeding potentially infected meat to animals.
And it took 24 days till the people of coral to be notify ? The meat is probably gone now I think it time for gn to find a better way to do a over night test not all most 4 weeks later or till people get sick