SARS Travel Alert Reinstated For Toronto!!

NYTimes | May 23, 2003 | AP

[travelnurse]

SARS Travel Alert Reinstated for Toronto By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/hea...to-Warning.html May 23, 2003 Filed at 6:15 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal health officials are again telling Americans to take precautions against the SARS virus if they travel to Toronto.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited a possible cluster of new cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Canada's largest city in reinstating its travel alert on Friday.

An alert warns Americans to take precautions when traveling to a particular area -- but stops short of the next step of advising against the trip.

CDC's advice for Toronto travelers:

--Avoid settings where SARS is most likely to be spread, such as hospitals.

--Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, standard defense against numerous types of infections. If hands aren't visibly soiled, alcohol-based hands rubs are an alternative.

--CDC does not recommend routine use of masks or other protective equipment in public areas.

CDC workers will again be meeting travelers returning to the United States from Toronto to warn that they watch for SARS symptoms for 10 days after their trip, and call a doctor for advice if they develop a fever, cough or shortness of breath.

Toronto had a serious outbreak of SARS last month, but was taken off the World Health Organization's list of hotspots on May 14 when it appeared that local spread of the disease had stopped. The CDC didn't lift its original travel alert for Toronto until earlier this week.

On the Net: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars

[Sender]

I called a hospital up there yesterday and listened to the recorded SARS advisory message...visitors will be checked for fever, etc. They are really trying hard to be sure it's contained.

[per loin]

Hmmm. This is the second time that Toronto has announced cases immediately following a health body lifting an alert or advisory.

[Dane]

Probable SARS case in WV from a person returning from Toronto, Canada.

Probable SARS In Ohio County(WV)

[aristeides]

Ping.

[blam]

Has it been determined if these are 'new arrival' outbreaks or a 'flare-up' of the original infection?

[dc-zoo]

The fit is about to hit the shan again in toronto. New sars threads sure are getting hot & heavy these days.

[Shermy]

How long until Chretien graces us with a photo-op close-up his face eating food at a hospital cafeteria?

If he does appear, he'll choose the kung pao beef (Canadian).

< /obscurestabathumor>

[per loin]

Difficult to tell yet, but it looks like a "flare-up" of the original. One of the five had been to Asia in April, but that seems a bit too long ago, and she was not the first of this group to show symptoms.

I notice on another thread, that a man in Ohio is suspected of coming down with it after visiting Toronto, and last week there was a story about someone in Georgia bringing it back from Toronto. None of these case confirmed yet though.

[per loin]

And now a possible case in North Dakota. Another visitor to Toronto.

[blam]

"And now a possible case in North Dakota. Another visitor to Toronto."

Damn! Definately in Toronto, huh?

[blam]

Paranoia Reigns As Regimented Singapore Mobilises Against SARS Epidemic

[per loin]

Dunno. A bit of time ought clarify the picture. None of these cases are confirmed yet, but the ones in Toronto seem highly likely. The others could just be chalked up to an "excess of caution", but that's the way we should keep playing it.

[travelnurse]

My gut instinct tells me Toronto is not and has not been out of the woods with SARS. The WHO lifted the travel ban against Toronto on April 29. The last reported "probable SARS" case to the WHO from Canadian Health officials was on May 4, 2003, 5 days after the travel ban was lifted. The last reported probable SARS case to the WHO by the US was on May 17, 2003. This is very suspicious. No way can Canada clean up its SARS cases that fast when they have way more cases than the US has. Something's not right in Canada. I am convinced they are not reporting their cases in a timely manner for fear of having the travel ban put back on Canada. Go to WHO site and check it out yourself:
http://www.who.int/csr/sars/country/2003_05_21/en

What about the four new cases reported in Canada yesterday? Two of the cases are already in critical condition, and the incubation period is 7-10 days. These cases are not even on the WHO report dated May 21, 2003, and Canadian health officials had to have known about them.

[Domestic Church]

There was evidence of SARS still being shed in fecal material for several weeks after patients recovered. This bug needs an old fashioned three month quarantine.

[surrey]

My husband just got back from a one day trip to Toronto. Think I'll be looking for symptoms.

[dc-zoo]

I had the same feeling about Toronto holding back and lying about their case load. Taiwan supposedly had their's under control at one time also.

[aruanan]

--Avoid settings where SARS is most likely to be spread, such as hospitals.

Is "hospital" a new synonym for "Chinatown"?

[travelnurse]

Just heard on my local news -- 20 new SARS cases in Canada, two hospitals closed with a possibility of over 1,000 people being put under quarantine.

[txhurl]

Damn! is right. I was really looking forward to taking this off my vigilante list.