The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS) announced recently suspected cases of Botulism (qassuniq) in Inukjuak, on March 22.
An investigation revealed that the cases were associated with igunaq (a method of preparing meat, particularly walrus and other marine mammals) consumed during two feasts on March 18th and March 19th.
More than 27 people may have been exposed at the feasts and afterward from food later consumed at home.
There may still be contaminated igunaq in the community and in situations like this, the meat from that source should be destroyed. The best way to destroy the contaminated meat would be to burn it. It’s important to identify all the meat from the suspected igunaq and be sure it’s destroyed.
Before eating walrus meat, people should verify where it came from and make sure that it’s not from the same source that was given at the feasts.
FoodWorld 