Northern Saskatchewan’s medical health officer is clearing the air about rumours that food in La Ronge-area grocery stores was tainted by a needle containing HIV.
The RCMP received a report around 1:30 p.m. on Monday that someone in Giant Tiger told workers about another person allegedly contaminated food with a needle. In a news release, La Ronge RCMP stated “investigation has determined that this information was unfounded.”
Following that, officers arrested 48-year-old Morton Cook for public mischief, obstructing a police officer, and breaching an undertaking. He’ll be in court on Thursday in La Ronge.
The RCMP is not naming the business where this occurred, but Derek Reimer with Giant Tiger’s franchise owner in Western Canada, Winnipeg-based Northwest Company, confirms the incident happened in their store.
Giant Tiger closed early that day, around 3 p.m., Reimer said.
Facebook has lit up with La Ronge-area residents worried about food safety.
However, Reimer assures customers “we take the safety of our food very seriously. That’s why we took the step to close the door when this issue was identified.”
He said he’s never encountered a situation like this, adding “it’s very unusual.”
The Mamawetan Churchill River Health Region was brought in after the RCMP received the initial report a report of tampering with food products.
Health Region gives all-clear to food in La Ronge stores, issues precautionary advice for recently purchased groceries
All groceries currently on the shelves in the La Ronge, Sucker River, and Stanley Mission area are completely safe, says northern Saskatchewan’s Medical Health Officer, Dr. James Irvine.
“At the present time, we have no evidence that there’s been tampering of any food products and no evidence of any illnesses that have occurred, no evidence that there is contamination,” Irvine said.
Irvine says the health regions took a precautionary approach when they were called in to help while the RCMP and grocery stores in the La Ronge area investigated into the possible tampering.
Items that have a high contamination risk, such as meat, fruit, vegetables, and certain baked goods were taken off the shelves and restocked with produce from the back at confectionaries and local grocery stores like Co-Op and Giant Tiger.
As for the idea that communicable diseases like HIV could be transmitted through food, “the risks of things like HIV and Hepatitis C coming from the food supply is extremely remote,” Irvine said.
For those who bought groceries on the day in question in the La Ronge, Sucker River, and Stanley Mission area, Irvine said the “risk is very minimal to extremely remote.”
He advises there is no need to bring food back to stores at this time, adding that people can remove the incredibly remote risk of contamination by cooking or washing food purchased recently.
Irvine said as a “very precautionary measure,” the health region will give a final clearance of foods that can’t be washed or cooked easily by Wednesday.
So far, no food has been identified as having caused diarrhea-type illness or anything of that nature, Irvine said.