Minneapolis officials have announced plans to dismantle a relocated homeless encampment following a viral outbreak that has led to gastrointestinal distress among the camp's inhabitants. The affected camp is the successor to the original Camp Nenookaasi, recently disbanded earlier this month after a fatal shooting occurred there.
The encampment currently situated at 14th Avenue South and 26th Street East, which houses about 110 residents, is beset by a stomach flu outbreak with up to 30 cases reported and one person hospitalized, as per city health officials, as per CBS News Minnesota.
This gastrointestinal illness is allegedly caused by norovirus, which thrives particularly in the winter months and is spread through contaminated food or surfaces. According to a statement obtained by KSTP, "The encampment residents and the organizers are really serious about making sure that they’re addressing and working with us on those interventions."
As tensions mount over the potential displacement, City Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher revealed that Minneapolis is considering dedicating some land to a healing center, responding to requests from local advocates. Camp organizer Christin Crabtree said that "Chances are the camp will end up just moving again. That is not a solution," illustrating the cyclical challenge of addressing homelessness within the city. Despite the outbreak, the city insists that there's no immediate risk to those not residing at the campsite, as stated in KSTP.
