Toronto Hospitals Being Locked Down

Toronto Sun ^ | Friday, March 28, 2003 | By ROB GRANATSTEIN, TORONTO SUN

[Lucas1]

Friday, March 28, 2003

LOCKDOWN

Strict health rules declared across T.O.

By ROB GRANATSTEIN, TORONTO SUN

Toronto has become a hot zone for SARS as Ontario's top doctors step up their mad rush to choke off the spread of the illness before it smothers the city.

Under an emergency plan that changes by the day, visitors have been banned from all Toronto hospitals, the province has bought every surgical mask for sale in Canada and the World Health Organization called for all passengers boarding international flights at Pearson airport to be screened for SARS.

As the number of cases and worry levels rise, WHO has grouped Toronto together with the southeast Asian countries where SARS originated as hot zones for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The biggest worry is the disease's ability to spread.

SARS arrived in Toronto when an elderly woman, infected in Hong Kong, brought it back to Scarborough. She has since died, as has her son and one other man.

Another 25 people are infected, mainly health-care workers from Scarborough Grace Hospital, where some of the sick were treated. Dozens more have SARS symptoms.

'GET ON BOARD'

Worldwide, there have been 53 deaths and 1,408 cases.

"We have a chance to stop it in its tracks. That's why these unusual measures are being taken," said Dr. Don Low, microbiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital. "We have an opportunity today that a month from now or a week from now we might not have.

"Everybody involved in the Greater Toronto area has to get on board, listen to these instructions as opposed to complaining about them," he said.

Yesterday, the province --which had earlier asked all those who had set foot in the Scarborough Grace hospital since March 16 to quarantine themselves -- unveiled a 12-point plan to corral the spread.

It includes banning visitors to hospitals, except parents seeing their children or those visiting critically ill patients. All staff must wear protective gowns and masks at all times, all hospitals must set up isolation units, and Scarborough Grace staff have been barred from working at other hospitals.

"We are not taking any chances with SARS," said Dr. Colin D'Cunha, the province's commissioner of public health.

The good news is there have been no deaths since last Friday and hospitalized SARS patients are stable or improving.

The bad news is WHO has essentially branded anyone flying through Pearson airport a potential pariah. It called for the screening of passengers taking international flights out of SARS hot zones, including Toronto.

Health Minister Anne McLellan said yesterday her officials are "very seriously" considering authorizing staff to start screening outbound passengers for flu-like symptoms.

Additional government staff may be sent to Toronto to take over the screening procedures from airline employees.

Canada hasn't invoked the Quarantine Act, which would allow authorities to detain anyone with SARS symptoms for 48 hours.

Dr. Paul Gully of Health Canada said there are major logistical issues with screening flyers, including confidentially concerns and not enough public health workers to do the job.

RUN ON MASKS

There's also been a worldwide run on NG95 masks to protect people from the spread of SARS. The province announced it bought 300,000 masks and ordered another 40,000. That's every mask known to be available in Canada.

Health-care workers at high risk get the NG95 masks, while patients get surgical masks, which also protect against droplet infections.

Other developments yesterday included:

* Hundreds of Toronto police officers and paramedics have been quarantined.

* The Red Cross will begin delivering aid packs, including surgical masks and a thermometer to quarantined people.

While doctors insist there is still no reason to panic, patients aren't so convinced.

"We don't want to take any more chances," said Mahendra Nauth, as he and his wife rushed their newborn boy out of Scarborough General yesterday.

[b4its2late]

They surrendering too?

[Mister Baredog]

Close the Northern border quick!!!!

[Lucas1]

Yeah I am so glad that border will protect everyone in the United States. Lucky you...

[Petronski]

Ping

[Beck_isright]

I need some help. If Canada wants to surrender to China because of this, do they have to get France's permission or do they have to wait for France to surrender first? Or do they have to go to the U.N. and get a resolution requesting permission to surrender?

V

[BlacKnight]

For Security and Health; Culture, Language and Borders; Masks, Triage and Quarantine!!

[b4its2late]

While doctors insist there is still no reason to panic, patients aren't so convinced.

Kinda crazy locking the place down then if you don't want to cause a panic. But they are Canadians, I guess.

[Lucas1]

Sorry but Canada has fought in almost as many wars as the United States has. Go back to history class and learn how many soliders Canada lost over the past 100 years. Canada normally stands by the United States in most combat situations and do what they can. Please do not put Canada in the same category as France. Canada is not a coward nation.

[Rain-maker]

Spread bad karma and get it back. Screw the ungrateful socialist Canadians and their support of Iraq and its evil. May Chretien and his cronies all perish from SARS.

Close the Northern borders, no man or machine shall pass.

[Beck_isright]

The soldiers of Canada are not cowards and from what I know, are very upset at your government. Your government, as represented by the majority of voters, is full of cowards. Prime Minister Yellow Stain has seriously hurt the relationship between our two nations. The actions of the citizens of Montreal booing a youth hockey team which visited from Massachussetts has only added on to my fury. I personally will not have a Canadian product in my household until your government is replaced. Many of my friends and ex-vets feel the same way. So change your government or prepare to be lumped in with the likes of "France". That is where this is going and it's rapidly heading in that direction.

V

[arkiegal]

Perhaps not. And they maybe do not deserve to be put in the same category as France. I think the problem is their leadership would LIKE to be thought of in the same category as France. And that position at this time does not seem an honorable one.

[OldFriend]

Rather interesting that they are willing to prevent the spread of this disease in such an agressive manner but consider us out of line for wanting to prevent terrorists from entering our country in the same agressive manner.

[Lucas1]

May I remind you that Canadians spilled their blood for you in Afghanistan. I don't believe they surrendered to anybody.

Canada also managed to arrive earlier than the Americans in the last World War.

Save your "surrender" jokes for France.

[Dog Gone]

"We have an opportunity today that a month from now or a week from now we might not have.

So, if this doesn't work...

[Beck_isright]

"Please do not put Canada in the same category as France."

One more thing. The past does not matter, the present does. My wife is still scared to fly since 9-11. Your nation has done piss poor little to help us in the war against terrorists and hides behind bogus laws of the Commonwealth to allow refugees from suspect nations to pour into Toronto. The wrath of America is well deserved and gathering momentum. It's up to the people of Canada to take their nation back; if they can get up off their government subsidized butts to do so.

V

[Lucas1]

Yes well there are A LOT of Canadians that DO NOT support what the leadership is doing. As an American working in Canada at the current time...I can tell you first hand that there are plenty of people (almost the majority) that SUPPORT THIS WAR. Last figure was something like 47% of Canadians support the war!

The leadership...does not represent everyone. THANK GOD!

Anyway...back to the REAL discussion here - This disease...is spreading rapidly right across the border. It will not stay in Toronto. As we all know...the border will not protect you from sickness or disease.

[Beck_isright]

May I remind you that it was our butts that saved the world in WWII.

And in Afghanistan your troops are furious at your government for not offering at least moral support in the war. Your nation is being viewed by AMERICANS as a FRENCH COLONY. The perception was created by Prime Minister Yellow Stain. I would suggest a powerful populist uprising protesting against the Eurogarbage you have running your nation. As it sits now, we don't care about your pissant nation and many of us are already boycotting your products and encouraging your citizens visiting Florida to go back home to their socialist utopia. We want friends to visit here, not traitors.

V

[PoisedWoman]

"We have a chance to stop it in its tracks. That's why these unusual measures are being taken,"

One wonders why the Canadians can't seem to apply the same logic to the disease called Saddam.