Posted on 06/01/2003 6:52:11 AM PDT by MalcolmS
- Three test positive for coronavirus
- Parry Sound boy sick, day care closed
- Quarantine violators to be 'locked up'
TORONTO -- Health officials are investigating four recent deaths at a Toronto hospital they believe may be SARS-related, three of which have tested positive for the coronavirus linked to the insidious disease.
The deaths occurred earlier in the week at the Rouge Valley Health System's Centenary facility in northeast Toronto, said Dr. Jim Young, commissioner of public security in Ontario.
Three of the deaths tested positive at least once for the coronavirus that's believed to cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Dr. Young said yesterday, in what he called a "nervous weekend" in the battle to contain the latest outbreak.
"None (of the deaths) are typical of SARS, but all have led us to have concerns or some wonder about them,'' Dr. Young told a news conference.
Some of the patients, if not all, were isolated from others in the hospital before their deaths.
However, Dr. Colin D'Cunha, the province's public health commissioner, said he can't rule out that they exposed others to the virus. "If there was an unprotected exposure for the duration of sorting this out, those (hospital) staff will automatically go into quarantine."
The hospital's emergency and walk-in clinics have been closed as a precaution.
Dr. D'Cunha also revealed that a four-year-old boy from Parry Sound, in cottage country north of Toronto, is in the Hospital for Sick Children. He wouldn't comment on the boy's condition, but said he believes that's why SARS-related precautions are being taken at a Parry Sound day care.
Since it was discovered May 22 that a second outbreak of SARS had been simmering in two Toronto hospitals, about 7,800 people have been ordered into 10-day home isolation. If any of the four new deaths are determined to be the result of SARS, they'll be added to a list that numbers 30 since the first outbreak hit in March.
The quarantine numbers are almost guaranteed to jump because officials are now asking anyone who was at a Yonge Street funeral home on May 22 or the St. Mary Armenian Church on May 23 to isolate themselves.
Dr. D'Cunha also urged quarantined students from a high school in Markham, north of the city, to call public health officials and "snitch" on classmates who they know are venturing into public places. Clearly growing frustrated with quarantine breakers, he noted that recent provincial law changes have made it easier to lock them up.
"We don't have to lock you up in a hospital and take up a valuable hospital bed. We have the choice of using some other facilities," he threatened.
Dr. Young has called this a "nervous weekend" for the Toronto area because the number of new cases could indicate whether efforts to contain the outbreak are working.
In Ontario yesterday, there were 46 active probable and 15 active suspect cases. That's up three and two respectively since Friday. Dr. Young said those numbers don't "appear to be too bad," but said the city isn't out of the woods.
Ontario Health Minister Tony Clement made a rare appearance at the briefing to ask health care workers for patience and continued hard work.
Meanwhile, a male nurse from the Ottawa Hospital's General campus, who has been quarantined because he may have may have been exposed to SARS, remained symptom free yesterday, said city spokesman Michael Fitzpatrick.
(Excerpt) Read more at canada.com ...
Toronto has a high Asian population. With visits to the Asia.
I'd still like to know if a majority of those infected are Asian. And not by luck of the draw.
UN-PC, yep.
I predicted, back in March, daycares would be hit hard. I have a friend who runs a facility. She says they are germ factories. All the children pass antibiotic resistant from of Staph infection back and forth, resulting in chronic ear infections. Many have to have tubes put in their ears to finally end the infection or leave daycare.
She says parents regularly drop sick kids off (the rule is no child with a fever can come to daycare). Sometimes, it takes the "teachers" an hour or two before they notice the child is sick. Many times these are the guys who are too little to say "Mom, I don't feel well", so Mom takes them in to daycare, heads off to work and gets the call an hour or two later that the little guy is sick. Her theory is that they do that so they get less hassle at their places of employment.
Just a second hand account of what goes on at our child care facilities.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.