SARS in Toronto, Canada

Hey guys!
While the SARS cases are a concern, please don't get the wrong picture. I live in Hamilton, 45 minutes down the highway from Toronto. I have not seen anyone walking around in public with masks on. Life is carrying on like normal. The only impact this has on people around me is that hospitals are not allowing visitors in to visit loved ones unless they are screened and are very close relatives. And perhaps occassionally, if you see someone coughing and looking sick you may think of SARS. I teach in a school and one of my students had a bad cold this week. Guess what she had? A bad cold. She coughed and she stayed home one day. Life is normal. We are all aware also (because of the news) of the symptoms. Most who show symptoms I think would stay home and take appropriate action. My point is life is pretty much going on as normal. The images you see of people with masks on etc. is not what Toronto looks like. Those images are coming from the eastern countries where the disease has a far more serious grip on the population. Medical authorities in Ontario have kept the spread of the disease under control. Recent news reports are suggesting that there are no new cases and that we are turning a corner.

Please don't cancel your train trip. I think that you will be safe. And that train trip is nowhere near where the outbreak has occurred.

Just a few thoughts from someone in Ontario and who lives close to Toronto.

[TheWatchman]

The SARS virus kills as many people as influenza does each year. About 10% of those who catch it. From what I have read, SARS is a form of a cold virus and most likely most people have had it at one time or another. What is left to find out is the characteristics of it, I guess.

Yes, this is very unsettling because of all of the "unknowns" about it. I wonder if there isn't a whole lot more to this than they (scientists) are not telling us in an attempt to avoid mass panic. I think the situation is worse than what they are leading us to believe. Especially being that scientists from other countries who are studying this virus and monitoring patients in Hong Kong say that Hong Kong and other countries have not been forthright with telling them how many people actually have caught SARS. They said the cases over there are much higher than what they want to admit.

I think that Nova Scotia had several cases as well. It's definitely unsettling. I am thankful that I do not fly twice a week anymore. I just hope that they can get this under control because at the moment, it seems unstoppable.

[Auburn Annie]

For information about SARS, check out the Centres for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov.

So far, the mortality associated with SARS is roughly the same as community-acquired pneumonia (6% vs 5%) which has been with us forever.
"The severity of illness might be highly variable, ranging from mild illness to death. Although a few close contacts of patients with SARS have developed a similar illness, the majority have remained well. Some close contacts have reported a mild, febrile illness without respiratory signs or symptoms, suggesting the illness might not always progress to the respiratory phase." http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5212a5.htm

In Canada there have been 341 probable or suspected SARS cases with 18 deaths; 231 have been discharged from hospital or never entered, choosing to recover at home. From Health Canada's site:
"A CDC travel alert provides a more accurate assessment of the situation in Canada. It states that: “Currently, all cases in Toronto are linked to Toronto's original index case and spread has been through person-to-person contact. SARS transmission in Toronto has been limited to a small number of hospitals, households, and specific community settings.”" That's from today's (4/25) update.

[Auburn Annie]

For information about SARS, check out the Centres for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov.

So far, the mortality associated with SARS is roughly the same as community-acquired pneumonia (6% vs 5%) which has been with us forever.
"The severity of illness might be highly variable, ranging from mild illness to death. Although a few close contacts of patients with SARS have developed a similar illness, the majority have remained well. Some close contacts have reported a mild, febrile illness without respiratory signs or symptoms, suggesting the illness might not always progress to the respiratory phase." http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5212a5.htm

In Canada there have been 341 probable or suspected SARS cases with 18 deaths; 231 have been discharged from hospital or never entered, choosing to recover at home. From Health Canada's site:
"A CDC travel alert provides a more accurate assessment of the situation in Canada. It states that: “Currently, all cases in Toronto are linked to Toronto's original index case and spread has been through person-to-person contact. SARS transmission in Toronto has been limited to a small number of hospitals, households, and specific community settings.”" That's from today's (4/25) update.

That was an education!!! Thank-you and I feel much better now. Everyone seemed to ease my worry.

That was an education!!! Thank-you and I feel much better now. Everyone seemed to ease my worry.

[TheWatchman]

I found this on CNN's website.

[char]

I just got back yesterday from Saratoga NY. I was in Toronto at Union Station at the busiest time of day on thursday night. i flew out of the airport - not a person in sight with a mask. it is a centralized thing all relating back to one family. those wearing a mask are not protecting you fromt hem. they shouldn't be out if they have SARS. they are wearing them to protect themselves. i'm fine. had a great time with the Lightfoot folks and the Lightfoot Tribute Band was spot-on perfect. Go on your trips, take your train rides, don't worry....
Char