Ewww, I saw this canoe.ca this morning. They have a video of the house inside and it doesn't look dirty at all. Wonder why type of bugs did this to this little boy.
By DOUG HEMPSTEAD, QMI Agency
OTTAWA - Four year-old Arsh Aziz was exhausted from hours of crying. His father never heard anything like it.
Traumatized and bitten all over by bugs, the child spent five days at CHEO last week while doctors in protective clothing treated him.
His parents, Jaff and Darya Woshiar said they were told by hospital staff they should move out of their Ottawa Housing apartment on Shillington Ave.
he CHEO discharge papers confirm the child had insect bites as well as cellulitis, a bacterial infection often associated with insect bites or cuts and abrasions.
At the Woshiar's apartment -- on a windowsill -- is a Tim Horton's Iced Cappuccino cup, with three different live bugs in it. There's a squish mark from a swatted bug by the front door. Snacks on the coffee table are covered with plastic wrap. Two different types of insecticide can be seen, and Darya is coughing into a tissue -- hoarse, she claims, from her constant use of cleaners and bleach.
She also sports insect bites on her shoulder.
Jaff holds up a bottle of insecticide -- the label of which has images of different insects on it.
"I have this one," he says pointing at a multi-legged creepy-crawly.
"And I have this one here, also this one a lot, this one."
Many of the apartment's doors and windows are taped-up. At his son's bedroom the child is still asleep, lying on top of the covers.
There's a dark, protruding bite on his ankle about the size of a Cheerio. There's a larger one on the palm of his left hand, about the size of a navy bean, next to another one which is nearly healed. There's a series of smaller bites on his face and two more Cheerio-sized dark bits on his right-hand thumb and forefinger.
Woshiar's not sure what type of insect bit his son, but he knows it wasn't bedbugs.
He's collected the ones he does have and claims to have visited Ottawa Housing's offices with the collection -- 10 different types.
"They said don't worry, this is normal," said Woshiar.
Ottawa Community Housing CEO Jo-Anne Poirier clarifies that statement by pointing out this has been a bad year for all types of insect pests. She said the fact that the OCH unit is 35 years old doesn't help matters either.
"We have inspected this unit and plan to do outdoor treatment and caulking," said Poirier. "We are in constant communication with the family and are confident we can work to resolve these issues."
She said tenants shouldn't hesitate to report infestations.
"Don't feel ashamed, let us know as soon as possible. Every case is investigated."
The apartment was sprayed last month but the bugs returned two days later.
Since then, Woshiar and his wife have had trouble sleeping.
"We stay up until three in the morning. We just kill bugs. We're always scratching even when nothing's biting us."
CHEO doctors have suggested Woshiar get his son counselling to deal with the trauma of dealing with insects in his home.
Carleton University entomologist Jeff Dawson said besides bedbugs there are several possibilities of what could have bitten Woshiar's son.
Probably a type of hemipteran, like kissing bugs -- which is what is believed to have killed Charles Darwin.
Assassin bugs, deer flies, mosquitos and black flies are other possibilities.
doug.hempstead@sunmedia.ca
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Thu 12 Aug 2010, 9:47 am
