SARS in Vancouver
Apr 30th, 2003, 07:39 PM
#1
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SARS in Vancouver
Hello Vancouverites,
I haven't heard anything about SARS in the world news (only Toronto so far), but was wondering if anything has been mentioned locally about SARS. We're thinking of coming to Vancouver in the summer, but trying to decide based on the SARS activity, since so many Asians live there.
Thanks.
I haven't heard anything about SARS in the world news (only Toronto so far), but was wondering if anything has been mentioned locally about SARS. We're thinking of coming to Vancouver in the summer, but trying to decide based on the SARS activity, since so many Asians live there.
Thanks.
May 1st, 2003, 02:47 AM
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Vancouver did have some SARS cases, but patients were put in isolation quickly enough that it didn't spread into the wider community, and there were no deaths.
The size of the Asian community is immaterial. The Toronto situation arose from a single case. A Canadian woman (who happened to be Asian) was infected in a Hong Kong hotel. She returned to Canada, became ill, and isolation measures weren't taken soon enough when she went to hospital, so it was spread among health-care workers, patients, and family members.
The US has not been immune, either; if you check the figures for SARS, you will see that there have been 41 probable cases there.
The size of the Asian community is immaterial. The Toronto situation arose from a single case. A Canadian woman (who happened to be Asian) was infected in a Hong Kong hotel. She returned to Canada, became ill, and isolation measures weren't taken soon enough when she went to hospital, so it was spread among health-care workers, patients, and family members.
The US has not been immune, either; if you check the figures for SARS, you will see that there have been 41 probable cases there.
May 1st, 2003, 07:40 AM
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Just a correction to some of your information cluny.
The woman who came from Hong Kong and had SARS was never admitted to hospital. She died at home of heart failure after seeing her family doctor who did not realize that she had SARS. Only a second post mortem revealed that she had SARS. Her SON who had been nursing her contracted SARS from her. He went to hospital where he was not immediately put in isolation because no one suspected he had SARS (he had not been in Hong Kong).
About 24 hours after his admission, he was put into isolation but by then a lot of damage had been done. SARS had spread into the hospital infecting some patients and health care workers plus anyone who had encountered the son at his mother's funeral or anyone who had visited their home. Basically it was incredible bad luck that the mother was not identified as a SARS patient.
BTW - since all SARS cases in Toronto are now confined to hospital - chances of getting SARS in Toronto are basically nil unless you plan to tour SARS wards in hospitals. SARS cases are pretty much on the decline in Toronto (2 "new" cases reported today were hospital workers believed to have been infected around the middle of April.)
The woman who came from Hong Kong and had SARS was never admitted to hospital. She died at home of heart failure after seeing her family doctor who did not realize that she had SARS. Only a second post mortem revealed that she had SARS. Her SON who had been nursing her contracted SARS from her. He went to hospital where he was not immediately put in isolation because no one suspected he had SARS (he had not been in Hong Kong).
About 24 hours after his admission, he was put into isolation but by then a lot of damage had been done. SARS had spread into the hospital infecting some patients and health care workers plus anyone who had encountered the son at his mother's funeral or anyone who had visited their home. Basically it was incredible bad luck that the mother was not identified as a SARS patient.
BTW - since all SARS cases in Toronto are now confined to hospital - chances of getting SARS in Toronto are basically nil unless you plan to tour SARS wards in hospitals. SARS cases are pretty much on the decline in Toronto (2 "new" cases reported today were hospital workers believed to have been infected around the middle of April.)
May 1st, 2003, 09:19 PM
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I heard on the radio yesterday that Vancouver has some public health organization similar to the CDC, and that they issued a warning to all hospitals and medical facilities in mid-February to be on the lookout for SARS and to take immediate action isolating the patients. This is similar to what Cluny noted. Public health officials in Vancouver have a lot to be proud of and have set a fine example.
