SARS in Toronto!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hey I just saw on the news that a thousand people have been quarentined at a hospital in Toronto!

Do you all know anything about this?

I hope our Toronto members are alright.

Is this virus realy something to be worried about or is it kind of being hyped like the shark attack thing?

Paul

torontorn, I am confused about there being no test for sars. On tv I saw someone talking about it and they said there WAS a test but unfortunately there were a certain percentage of false negatives.

torontorn, I am confused about there being no test for sars. On tv I saw someone talking about it and they said there WAS a test but unfortunately there were a certain percentage of false negatives.

HOPE THAT THERE IS NO SARS£¡

HOPE THAT THERE IS NO SARS£¡

I heard that there was a test being developed as well, but not yet widely in use because of false negatives and false positives. As far as I know they are not widely using it and still erring on the side of caution so as not to miss anyone.

?? a-rose, what do you mean?

I heard that there was a test being developed as well, but not yet widely in use because of false negatives and false positives. As far as I know they are not widely using it and still erring on the side of caution so as not to miss anyone.

?? a-rose, what do you mean?

Even in probable cases of SARS about 50% of people are not getting a positive for this new test. It is basically useless in the clinical setting.

Again, it is only certain people who should not be travelling: those at risk of contracting SARS through their occupation or their family. Normal tourists are not a threat.

Even in probable cases of SARS about 50% of people are not getting a positive for this new test. It is basically useless in the clinical setting.

Again, it is only certain people who should not be travelling: those at risk of contracting SARS through their occupation or their family. Normal tourists are not a threat.

The three cases (children) that we apparently exported to Australia have turned out NOT to be SARS at all, and it was reported yesterday that the case of in the philipinnes has not been proved to be SARS as of yet either.

So far the only case that has definitely been SARS that we've "exported" was the doctor who went to Phillidelphia. (excuse spelling) I haven't heard any reports as to how this dr travelled to the US ... it's not inconceivable that he drove (hopefully alone!).

It's true that our Airports should have had a screening process both for people coming into the airport from other countries as well as for Canadians outward bound. Information sheets and self screening are definitely not enough.

We certainly do not want more cases here, and we definitely don't want any cases to spread from Toronto elsewhere. But look at the numbers at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/sars-sras/prof_e.html probable cases are not really going up. Suspect cases have gone up but we are basically treating anyone with a respiratory ailment that turns out to be phneumonia as a suspect case at this point. Now look at the numbers today for China (125), and Hong Kong (30). The number of probable cases are still increasing by large amounts. Even Singapore, where Sars might finally be becoming under control (LIKE TORONTO) is still reporting a fair amount of new cases each day, although there numbers have steadily been dropping (just like Toronto's!).

As others have been saying we don't have any new cases out in the community that can't be traced back to a hospital setting ie the initial cases. And there have been no new cases in the community for 16 or more days. It's contained.

The CDC is apparently in our hospital today. We'll see what they have to say about how we are doing. As all the Canadians on this board have said- the CDC have not put out a travel advisory for Toronto and I trust the CDC- they are here, WHO hasn't been here to see what's happening.

I've checked many of the Airport sites and the CDC site and I don't see any recommended screening proceedures for airline passengers (ie screening for all passengers, just recommendations if someone appears to be ill from a resp. ailment). Some of the actual airlines have posted that they will screen passengers from certain flights ie

http://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/news/0,,78347,00.html And some airports (Denver for one) have instituted screening proceedures for passengers travelling through their airport ... but overall it appears that there is no major screening proceedure for airport travellers in the US. Am I missing something or are the majority of your airports not screening passengers? If we should be doing it- then I think the USA should as well.

I'm still so tired. :( I hope we clear things up here soon. I have Crohns and I had a major flare in February and March and missed a lot of work during that time period ... and I had just started back at work when we had to start wearing gloves, gowns, masks and goggles (and doubling up when seeing isolation patients) and as many of you know the work is exhausting when wearing all these additional items (now face shields, hairnets, double masks, and disposable scrubs). I noticed that in one of Toronto_Rn's post she mentioned that people with certain illnesses etc might be exempt from working with SARS patients in her hospital ... that doesn't seem to be the case in ours. Many people in my dept know that I was very sick in Feb and March yet I'm still often put to work in our isolation area. All of my last 6 shifts had several hours of work in the isolation area. oh well, even exposure to a cold or a flu bug could set off a flare for me ... at least with the masks and everything I'm protected from most of those germs these days ... so I'm not too worried about working in the isolation area ... but I do find that it's making me excessively tired (haven't worked since Monday night and I'm still tired!) perhaps it's because I'm still getting over my illness.

Anyway ... walking the streets of Toronto you really wouldn't know that we are having a health crisis here ... it's only when you see the news or go into a health care setting that you know something is up. Toronto is still a beautiful place to visit with many many interesting things for tourists to do. People are not walking the streets wearing masks or cowering in fear, people are out enjoying the beautiful spring weather, just like I plan to do later this afternoon. :)

Trish

The three cases (children) that we apparently exported to Australia have turned out NOT to be SARS at all, and it was reported yesterday that the case of in the philipinnes has not been proved to be SARS as of yet either.

So far the only case that has definitely been SARS that we've "exported" was the doctor who went to Phillidelphia. (excuse spelling) I haven't heard any reports as to how this dr travelled to the US ... it's not inconceivable that he drove (hopefully alone!).

It's true that our Airports should have had a screening process both for people coming into the airport from other countries as well as for Canadians outward bound. Information sheets and self screening are definitely not enough.

We certainly do not want more cases here, and we definitely don't want any cases to spread from Toronto elsewhere. But look at the numbers at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/sars-sras/prof_e.html probable cases are not really going up. Suspect cases have gone up but we are basically treating anyone with a respiratory ailment that turns out to be phneumonia as a suspect case at this point. Now look at the numbers today for China (125), and Hong Kong (30). The number of probable cases are still increasing by large amounts. Even Singapore, where Sars might finally be becoming under control (LIKE TORONTO) is still reporting a fair amount of new cases each day, although there numbers have steadily been dropping (just like Toronto's!).

As others have been saying we don't have any new cases out in the community that can't be traced back to a hospital setting ie the initial cases. And there have been no new cases in the community for 16 or more days. It's contained.

The CDC is apparently in our hospital today. We'll see what they have to say about how we are doing. As all the Canadians on this board have said- the CDC have not put out a travel advisory for Toronto and I trust the CDC- they are here, WHO hasn't been here to see what's happening.

I've checked many of the Airport sites and the CDC site and I don't see any recommended screening proceedures for airline passengers (ie screening for all passengers, just recommendations if someone appears to be ill from a resp. ailment). Some of the actual airlines have posted that they will screen passengers from certain flights ie

http://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/news/0,,78347,00.html And some airports (Denver for one) have instituted screening proceedures for passengers travelling through their airport ... but overall it appears that there is no major screening proceedure for airport travellers in the US. Am I missing something or are the majority of your airports not screening passengers? If we should be doing it- then I think the USA should as well.

I'm still so tired. :( I hope we clear things up here soon. I have Crohns and I had a major flare in February and March and missed a lot of work during that time period ... and I had just started back at work when we had to start wearing gloves, gowns, masks and goggles (and doubling up when seeing isolation patients) and as many of you know the work is exhausting when wearing all these additional items (now face shields, hairnets, double masks, and disposable scrubs). I noticed that in one of Toronto_Rn's post she mentioned that people with certain illnesses etc might be exempt from working with SARS patients in her hospital ... that doesn't seem to be the case in ours. Many people in my dept know that I was very sick in Feb and March yet I'm still often put to work in our isolation area. All of my last 6 shifts had several hours of work in the isolation area. oh well, even exposure to a cold or a flu bug could set off a flare for me ... at least with the masks and everything I'm protected from most of those germs these days ... so I'm not too worried about working in the isolation area ... but I do find that it's making me excessively tired (haven't worked since Monday night and I'm still tired!) perhaps it's because I'm still getting over my illness.

Anyway ... walking the streets of Toronto you really wouldn't know that we are having a health crisis here ... it's only when you see the news or go into a health care setting that you know something is up. Toronto is still a beautiful place to visit with many many interesting things for tourists to do. People are not walking the streets wearing masks or cowering in fear, people are out enjoying the beautiful spring weather, just like I plan to do later this afternoon. :)

Trish

I don't know how accurate the information on this web page is but have a look at it yourselves.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s840512.htm

Good news about Vietnam

Regards

I don't know how accurate the information on this web page is but have a look at it yourselves.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s840512.htm

Good news about Vietnam

Regards

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