With the SACS warnings, is it safe to travel to Tornoto? I'm scheduled to fly in on April 1st for a week and am a little bit uneasy with the mystery sickness stuff. Any thoughts?

Well, those of us here are staying.<BR><BR>One hospital is closed, but that's far away from downtown, and there's no reason to be any more afraid of that illness than there is to be afraid of getting hurt or sick because of anything else.<BR><BR>Come and visit. You'll be fine.<BR><BR>bAK

For basic information and statistics regarding SARS in Toronto, the following is a good resource:<BR><BR>www.city.toronto.on.ca/health/pneumonia_report.htm<BR><BR>The above-mentioned site also provides a link to the Health Canada website where you will find daily updates.<BR><BR>

It's a day later, and the Toronto health department is in its normal mode of making a really big deal out of mole hills, and not doing a good job of controlling the problem.<BR><BR>But it is front page news in Toronto, wioth clinets understaffed and overflowing with worried people.<BR><BR>That said, remember Toronto has 3 million people, is a huge place, and as far as I can see after walking around downtown yesterday and today for several hours, life for almost everyone is proceeding as normal.<BR><BR>BAK

I realize it's no laughing matter for anyone who may have come in contact with the disease, but one of my co-workers (overwhelmed with work) was saying yesterday that she'd welcome 10 days in quarantine. <BR><BR>Seriously though, it does seem like business as usual here in Toronto, although I would be cautious about visiting a hospital right now. <BR><BR>The news last night had reports of people wearing masks, etc. - I work beside the Eatons Centre downtown and so far I haven't seen anyone like that.

There are 40 cases of SARS in the US and 19 cases in Canada. The biggest number of cases is in Hong Kong and mainland China, followed by Vietnam. The mortality rate is about 3-5% (less than West Nile virus).

The information we just got via Public Health is that there are 28 cases here in Canada, and 3 deaths so far. The hospital I work for in Toronto has just basically shut down as of this morning. There is no visiting allowed, and at our outpatient clinic we aren't supposed to see anybody. It's hard to know whether this makes any sense or if it's just alarmist stuff.

Thank you all for the information. It makes me feel better. The news reports make it sound a lot worse than I'm sure it actually is. <BR><BR>See all of you Torontoites next week.<BR><BR>Peabody

Peabody, we're called Torontonians! Welcome!

SusanInToronto.<BR><BR>Spell that phoenetically please.<BR><BR>I believe it comes out something like<BR><BR>'Teranians'.<BR><BR>To a west coast ear anyways.

Tore-on-tone-eeons<BR>emphasis on 'tone'

The proper pronounciation for Torontonian(s) is: 5 syllables:<BR>Too-Ron-TONE-Nee-N('s).<BR>

You are right! 5 syllables! Here is my &quot;revised&quot; pronunciation key for &quot;Torontonians&quot;!!<BR><BR>Ta-ron-TONE-ee-unz

To WOW:<BR><BR>Uhm, okay where did you get the &quot;ta&quot; from? it should be &quot;Too.&quot; Are you from out West? Because I have cousins from the midwest that pronounce Toronto that way. They pronounce it Ta-raun-toe.

I hate myself writing this because I really would like to go ahead as planned and fly to Toronto soon. I am determined to fly no matter what kind of war alarm we have, but the SACS makes me hesitate.

Graziella5, not to worry. I live in a small town 70 miles east of Toronto and travel to Toronto frequently. This Wednesday, I have an outpatient medical appointment at a Toronto hospital which I do not intend to keep (why push the envelope, and they don't really want to see outpatients right now in any case). I am, however, still going in to the big town to have lunch with my friends (as soon as I make sure that they haven't been visiting at Toronto's Grace Hospital where all this SARS stuff got started). No sweat.

Just to keep things clear: The outbreak started at Scarborough Grace Hospital, not Grace Hospital downtown - two different places. The other hospital that's closed down is York Central, which is suburban (as is the Scarborough hospital). The downtown hospitals are restricting visits and outpatient appointments but aren't closed.

My father-in-law told me heard a report asking people in Toronto to stay at home. I have not heard this report. Is this true? <BR><BR>Does anyone know if events (theatre, concerts, etc.) are being cancelled because of SARS? <BR><BR>I figure the odds of contracting SARS are very slim, but I don't want to be too cavalier about it. Are any precautions being advised?<BR><BR>Does everything appear to be going as normal in the city centre?

Peabody, &quot;People in Toronto&quot; are only being asked to stay at home if they have had contact with someone who has SARS. The vast majority of Torontonians have not had contact with a SARS patient and we therefore continue to go about our normal lives. Events are not being cancelled due to SARS. Current reliable information regarding SARS is available on the website (and related links) indicated in my message above.