Canada's co-hosting the FIFA World Cup — and preparing for a potential surge in health emergencies. Here's how

As Toronto and Vancouver gear up to co-host FIFA World Cup games this summer, an emergency doctor worries that Canada's overburdened health-care system won't be able to handle any extra demand that could result.

In an editorial published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) Dr. Catherine Varner points out that Canada's health-care system is already in a "constant state of surge capacity." Add in hundreds of thousands of visitors, she wrote, and it could be a recipe for disaster. 

"Speaking from working right now in the middle of our flu season, where we haven't been able to handle a surge in acute care need anywhere in Canada it seems, I would be concerned going forward about having a surge in need for hospital resources," said Varner, CMAJ's deputy editor and an emergency doctor in downtown Toronto, in an interview with CBC News.

Her concern is supported by years of research showing that health issues — like infectious disease outbreaks, food-borne illnesses and alcohol overconsumption — can strain emergency rooms during or after mass gatherings. 

For example, researchers found that a strain of measles was introduced to Vancouver during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and resulted in an outbreak of 82 cases three months after the event.

Researchers have also noted that during the Calgary Stampede, there is an increase in emergency department visits related to trauma, substance-abuse and minor injuries. And research has also found that World Cup matches could trigger an increase in the number of cardiac emergencies.  

There's also the possibility of large-scale attacks that can send many to hospital, like the one that took place early last year at Vancouver's Lapu-Lapu festival. 

Varner started