Randy Edmunds: Nain TB disclosure 'just not acceptable'

The Liberal MHA for Torngat Mountains is criticizing the lack of information released to the public about a tuberculosis outbreak in Nain.

Randy Edmunds, who's district includes the remote Labrador town, was reacting to a CBC News story published Tuesday.

• CBC INVESTIGATES | Nain TB outbreak began months before public disclosure in wake of media questions

That story revealed that health officials were internally describing the situation in Nain as an outbreak in early February.

More than three months passed before they publicly acknowledged the scope of the issue. 

And that happened only after CBC News began asking questions.

Now, some people in Nain are wondering why they weren't given more information during the earlier stages of the outbreak.

Edmunds says it would have been common sense to get the word out earlier, and he is "at a loss" as to why that didn't happen.

"To sit on it for three months is something that's just not acceptable and I couldn't fathom a reason as to why they would do that," Edmunds said in an interview.

The Liberal MHA said the delay in public disclosure appears contrary to the Tory administration's policy on transparency in government.

"We should not have to wait for media to break a story like this," he said.

Health officials stressed to CBC News that work was underway the entire time to address the outbreak, as they concentrated on working to identify more potential TB cases, and contacted hundreds of people who might have been at risk.

Officials also noted the importance of balancing issues of stigma and alarm when deciding how to communicate outbreaks like the one in Nain.

In mid-May, in response to CBC inquiries, health officials revealed that there were 14 cases of tuberculosis in Nain, with a total of 16 reported in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region.

The number in Nain has now jumped to 23 for the past year. There have been no cases diagnosed since August.