[WestCoastGal]

Mystery Illness Toll in Toronto Increases To Ten Dead
Recombinomics Commentary October 4, 2005

Dr. McKeown provided the following update:

- Since yesterday there have been four additional deaths for a total of ten in the outbreak.

- The outbreak has so far affected a total of 70 residents, 12 employees and two visitors at Seven Oaks.

- 40 residents from Seven Oaks have been admitted to hospital.

The above update reveals a much more serious condition than yesterday. The number dead has increased to 10 from 6 and the number of residents admitted to Toronto area hospitals has increased from 30 to 40. Thus, 50 of the 70 residents infected have been hospitalized or died. The deaths are over 14% of the infected residents. In addition, the number of employees infected has risen form 8 to 12, suggesting more residents will show symptoms due to later exposure dates.

There has still been no etiological agent identified, so negative data for H5N1 remains suspect. The increasing numbers of dead patients should provide sufficient autopsy material for identification of this deadly and highly infectious agent.

[Rushmore Rocks]

They better figure this one out, like yesterday!

It may not be H5N1, but it sounds alot like what is happening in Indonesia.

[WestCoastGal]

I'm just wondering.........why did he bring this up yesterday during what was supposed to be a discussion on Miers nomination. [I think] With the use of military forces just recently approved during Katrina and Rita on US soil, are we now getting ready to pick up the sick and transport them to camps? IMO quarantines won't work. How can you quarantine a large city? It seems to me that taking the sick away would probably be their method of quarantine.

---

WASHINGTON, Oct 4 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush asked Congress on Tuesday to consider giving him powers to use the military to enforce quarantines in case of an avian influenza epidemic.

He said the military, and perhaps the National Guard, might be needed to take such a role if the feared H5N1 bird flu virus changes enough to cause widespread human infection.

"If we had an outbreak somewhere in the United States, do we not then quarantine that part of the country? And how do you, then, enforce a quarantine?" Bush asked at a news conference.

[nw_arizona_granny]

The 10 deaths in Canada, is strange.

The news said that theya re attempting to locate anyone who had contact with them.

A caller to one of the talk shows, also said 6 babies had died, newborns, unknown cause, his story came from the Undertaker, according to him, not said to be related, just a comment from a caller.

Said they all came from the same hospital, as that is the only one that delivers babies in the area.