"It wasn't until several years later that a doctor actually went to the island and confirmed that the men had leprosy," Mawani said. (University of British Columbia)In total there were 49 men sent there, 44 of whom were Chinese. "These men — the Chinese men in particular — were sent to the island to die or to be deported, whichever came first," she said. Eventually, 20 of these men were deported to China and at least 17 men died. She says the history of the island can help us understand how racism continues to affect the way we treat disease.

Source: CBC News August 03, 2020 12:00 UTC