The 6 year old child who was recently hospitalized after an entire family in Fort MacMurray experienced phosphine poisoning is improving and is finally out of critical condition. The prayers and support of the entire Fort MacMurray community has been with the family since the incident occurred. A mother and 5 children arrived at the local hospital with symptoms of insecticide poisoning after the family’s apartment was treated by the mother for a bedbug infestation. 8 month old infant Zara and 2 year old toddler Zia died from the exposure to the toxic chemical, and 6 year old Zain was initially listed in critical condition after being transferred to Stollery Children’s hospital in Edmonton. Sources now say the child is expected to recover within the next two or three weeks, and a ventilator has been removed so Zain can breathe without support.

Zain’simproved condition after the phosphine poisoning has provided hope, for the family and for the Fort MacMurray community. Fort McMurray Islamic School principal Taj Mohammed told the media “My kindergarten child is doing better. He is off the respirators and they have given him maybe two to three weeks to recover.” Zain attends the school, and Taj has been chosen as the family’s spokesperson during this extremely tough time. Students at the school were visited by a team of Fort McMurray Public School District counselors and psychologists for support. Mohammed explained “There was a pep talk (among staff) about this and how we can handle it, There were some students who had questions, we brought them out to discuss and let them know what it is. When I went to the hospital here in Fort Mac to see (Zainab), she had requested for a special party when she comes back. The class is all pumped up and they’re ready to welcome her …We’re gearing towards that, I don’t know when the family will be back here. We want to make it fun for the students … they will think about it, but hopefully not as much.”