Yup. Or at least there was significant fear about it being a new prion-related neurological disease. Since then, the government has "investigated" and been pret

Yup. Or at least there was significant fear about it being a new prion-related neurological disease. Since then, the government has "investigated" and been pretty vocal in denying any environmental causation or even any connection amongst patients whatsoever. In fact, there is apparently no "shared common illness" at all: > An oversight committee reviewing the case files of all 48 of the potential cases found that the patients didn’t have symptoms in common or have a shared common illness. > A separate in-depth epidemiological investigation last fall concluded the patients didn’t have any common behaviours, foods or environmental exposures. > Following these reports, all the patients were excluded from the cluster and the Minister of Health has accepted the conclusion that no such neurological syndrome of unknown cause exists in New Brunswick. https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/health/neuro-cluster.html https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/health/neuro-... Our government has a long history of arrogance and paternalism (probably nothing too unique there), and incredibly deep ties to the most powerful corporation in NB (again nothing new there), Irving, which has a uhh, let's just say, tenuous relationship with the environment and pollution. So it's hard to say whether or not one should believe the government's conclusion. But there it is.