Workers at oilsands camps near Fort McMurray hit with stomach bug

An outbreak ofgastro-intestinal illness has hit work camps near the Fort Hills oilsands site, 90 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, an Alberta Health Services spokesperson said Monday.

AHS Public Health is aware of the illness, Kerry Williamson said in an emailed statement. "It has not been confirmed as norovirus,"he added.

A Suncor spokesperson said about 80 people at Fort Hills have reported symptoms.

No flights to or from the camps have been cancelled, Suncor said. But workers showing symptoms are being asked not to board flights but to remain in their rooms.

Williamson said outbreaks of this type are not unusual at this time of year, particularly at sites where people are living and working in close quarters.

He said inspectors visited the site Monday, and AHS Public Health provided information over the weekend, to help limit the spread of the illness.

Precautions includeenhanced cleaning, isolating sick people, hand hygiene measures, and changing kitchen practices to reduce food handling by workers.

Fort Hills is an oilsands mining project owned by Suncor Energy, Total E&P Canada and Teck Resources. It is scheduled to start producing oil by late 2017.