Replies

I found this just a few minutes ago, and thought it was interesting. Shall we speculate how he got it?

SARS case raises questions
Husband gets disease after visiting wife in hospital

Lisa Queen, Staff Writer
May 29, 2003

Fred Fifield did everything North York General Hospital advised when visiting his wife, Shirley, who underwent double knee surgery earlier this month.

But, somehow, the 71-year-old previously healthy man contracted Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome anyway.

And that has left his Aurora daughter suspicious health authorities have downplayed the danger of catching the deadly respiratory disease when visiting a hospital.

"I think people should be aware. It just makes you think they're not telling how easily you can get this disease," said Judy Epworth, now at home under quarantine.

"What scares me is how did he get it and how easily it can be caught."

Weak and on a respirator, Mr Fifield is listed in stable condition at North York General, now the focus of Toronto's renewed SARS outbreak.

Dr. Murray McQuigge, York Region's public health physician consultant, said Mr. Fifield's case is a further example the disease is confined to health-care settings, rather than a threat in the general community.

"Basically, what we're saying is this is a hospital disease. It has been from the start and it continues to be. It doesn't do well in the community," he said.

"We're very optimistic this is anything but out of control. It's dismaying that we did (get new cases but) ... far from being out of control, this is better than our wildest dreams of a month ago."

Dr. McQuigge would not comment specifically on Mr. Fifield's case until he has seen a review of the man's file.

Ms Epworth said her father contracted SARS through unknown means while visiting his wife, who had double knee surgery May 9 at North York General.

She said both her parents, residents of Parry Sound, wore masks and continuously used antiseptic cleaners to wash their hands while in hospital, which included a pre-operation visit May 8.

On May 14, Mrs. Fifield was transferred to St. John's Rehabilitation Centre, which also had SARS cases in the past week. Her husband never visited her at St. John's.

Mrs. Fifield has not displayed any symptoms of the disease.

On May 18, 10 days after his first visit to North York General, Mr. Fifield began feeling unwell.

"He had a fever and he was not feeling good at that point. He felt chesty," said Ms Epworth, who along with her brother, sister and sister-in-law are quarantined at their homes in Aurora, Barrie and Mount Forest because they visited their mother at North York General and St. John's.

On May 20, Mr. Fifield saw his family doctor in Parry Sound, who diagnosed him with a virus and sent him home.

Last Saturday, his children advised him to call the hospital in Parry Sound and seek further medical assistance when he complained about his worsening health.

He was instructed to come to the hospital and was then airlifted to North York General.

Ms Epworth said her family is angry North York General scheduled her mother's elective surgery when the hospital was apparently not SARS-free.

"They assured us SARS was under control. My father was there four times when my mom was in hospital and took every precaution the hospital offered. How did he get this, by pushing an elevator button? I don't know," she said.

"Needless to say, we're angry. We were assured at the hospital everything was under control. A perfectly healthy man goes to sit with his wife for elective surgery and comes down with SARS."

Meanwhile, she wonders if there was political pressure on health authorities to prematurely declare the outbreak over because of the economic toll SARS was taking on the Greater Toronto Area.

Meanwhile, Ms Epworth said neither she nor her husband and three children, who aren't under home quarantine, have exhibited any symptoms of SARS.

But she admits being anxious because her father stayed at her home while visiting her mother in North York General.

"If my dad caught it, why couldn't I?" said Ms Epworth, whose quarantine ends Saturday.

She is one of almost 3,000 York residents now under quarantine at home due to SARS.

There are seven suspected cases of the disease in the region, four of whom are health-care workers.

One patient is being treated in York Central Hospital and another is being care for at Southlake Regional Health Centre.

The other five are being treated in Toronto hospitals.

From the article:

Dr. Murray McQuigge, York Region's public health physician consultant, said Mr. Fifield's case is a further example the disease is confined to health-care settings, rather than a threat in the general community.

"Basically, what we're saying is this is a hospital disease. It has been from the start and it continues to be. It doesn't do well in the community," he said.

"We're very optimistic this is anything but out of control. It's dismaying that we did (get new cases but) ... far from being out of control, this is better than our wildest dreams of a month ago."

Lying weasel, imho.

"Basically, what we're saying is this is a hospital disease. It has been from the start and it continues to be. It doesn't do well in the community," he said.

I am so sick of seeing this ridiculous statement, I could scream. If this were true, the best way to end SARS would be to keep patients out of the hospital. Stay in the community.

Probably contracted through the eyes if contracted in hospital. No mention of them wearing eye protection.