33 New SARS Cases Suspected In Toronto

Pulse 24 News ^ | May 24, 2003

[Lucas1]

Health officials are investigating 33 possible new cases of S.A.R.S., seven of them involving health-care workers and two deceased individuals.

And Premier Ernie Eves says they will have everything they need to fight the illness. “Whatever you need, you simply need to ask,” he said on Saturday. “We have the confidence in you and we will assist you with whatever you need to do your jobs. You have our full support.”

It will take about two days before the sick can be definitively classified as probable S.A.R.S. cases. Until then though, experts aren’t taking any chances. “We're very keen to wrestling this one down to the ground,” said Colin D'Cunha, Ontario's chief medical officer.

The new cluster might have originated at North York General Hospital. A 96-year-old contracted S.A.R.S, but the case wasn’t recognized. The person died on May 1, but several people were infected before then. The new cases might have gone unnoticed. And they might have triggered illness in health-care staffers and other patients at North York, as well as in family members.

A woman was in the same ward as the 96-year-old. She went to St. John’s Rehabilitation Hospital. Later she developed mild S.A.R.S, and might be the index case that started off the cluster there.

Four others who were at St. John’s at the time, are thought to have the illness.

Toronto hospitals are once again in S.A.R.S.-protection mode. All emergency rooms are under order to use heightened infection control procedures. So far, S.A.R.S. is blamed for 24 deaths in the G.T.A., with two more under investigation.

[Lucas1]

We are hearing it is actually more than that...

This is an amazing number...as 3 days ago it was ZERO CASES.

Yesterday or the day before they said 4 possible new cases...

Now we have an outbreak again.

Not good.

[IYAAYAS]

This can't be true. I thought the northern socialist front had this under control due to the superior single payer health care system.

It really is a shame real people are getting real dead because politians don't want to look bad, guilty of murder IMO.

[Lucas1]

1,000 IN TORONTO SARS QUARANTINE

[IYAAYAS]

politians=politicians

[Dengar01]

I wish the media would cover this more instead of the endless speculation about Laci Peterson.

This is a huge story considering it is real close to us here in the midwest and those on the east coast.
But the idiots would rather cover the stupid murder case.

[RightWhale]

Heard that Hong Cong has no new cases and nobody died of SARS today. Maybe this isn't the end of all of us after all.

[Calpernia]

Ping

[umgud]

I hear Mark Gerigos is now speculating that the Satan cult cast a SARS spell on Laci and Scott had to deep six her to save the planet.........

[umgud]

BTW, my daughter's church has a major conference scheduled for Toronto in Sept. This thing is big and was scheduled 2 years in advance. Even if she dosen't go, others could bring back the bug. I hope they cancel.

[IYAAYAS]

Everyone should know; if you have a dry cough, fever, and unexplained pneumonia and you haven't had a proven contact with a known SARS case, there is NO WAY you can have SARS.

It should be obvious there will NEVER be a widespread community outbreak.

At least according to US and Canadian officials.

[blam]

"This is a huge story considering it is real close to us here in the midwest and those on the east coast. "

Especially considering that we are suppose to be in a 'lull' because it's summer.

[Judith Anne]

This really is big news...

[Flavius]

IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG SUMMER...

[rimmont]

It seems as if the Canadians are much less self-satisfied these days.

[pepsionice]

This is what I find fascinating about the disease. Its almost June...and there are new cases each day. When we get to November, this will turn into epidemic.

[Teetop]

WOW! And to think the W.H.O. took the travel ban off of Toronto how long ago? Hmmmmmmm, 2 1/2 weeks now? Wonder how well that socialized health care system will work out now? Glad I don't live there....

Maybe they can throw another 20 or 30 BILLION dollars at the health care system to recover? Doubtful.

[twntaipan]

Well maybe.

300 plus people in an apartment block got SARS because a SARS patient used the toilet in their building and shoddy plumbing spread the disease (which has a hardy appetite for diarhea--must be a liberal). The 300 did not have personal contact with the original patient--just what he left behind.

[stlnative]

Let me tell you about something...

My mother's boss was in China and all over the place in China, even Hong Kong (for 3 weeks) and worked directly with hundreds of factory workers there giving them hands on training. He was there last month (right in the heat of all the SARS outbreaks) and he came home without ANY type of illiness. I was worried at first that he would come back to the USA with SARS and not know he had it and be stuck inside an enclosed lab room with my mother everyday. I was worried (paranoid) for my mother and also him. But all turned out fine!

[Judith Anne]

I think so too, but I assure you I am hoping to be wrong.