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2003-11
April 2, 2003
6:30 pm
Advisory
Update #18 - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
New in this update:
Health Canada Support for Ontario
- Health Canada is deploying an additional six personnel to Ontario on April
3, 2003 to work with the Ontario team. This is in addition to the six staff
Health Canada has deployed to assist Toronto's Public Health unit and the
Ontario Ministry of Health with the investigation of the SARS cases. The
department has also provided guidelines for infection control and recommendations
on actions for public health settings.
- On March 31, 2003, Health Canada sent two mobile x-ray machines and processors
to Toronto for two isolation units being set up in non-hospital facilities.
- Health Canada is ready to respond to additional requests for support from
Ontario and other provinces and territories.
Latest Canadian Numbers on SARS
As of April 2, 2003, Health Canada has received reports of 160 probable or
suspect cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Canada. There
have been six deaths in Canada. All Canadian cases have occurred in persons
who have traveled to Asia or had contact with SARS cases in the household or
in a health-care setting. The information contained in this update is based
on the best available information Health Canada has at this time.
The details of the cases to date are as follows:
- Ontario is reporting 60 probable and 69 suspect cases. All cases have occurred
in persons who have traveled to Asia or had contact with SARS cases in the
household or in a health-care setting.
- British Columbia is reporting 2 probable and 16 suspect cases.
- New Brunswick is reporting 1 suspect case.
- Saskatchewan is reporting 1 suspect case.
- Alberta is reporting 7 suspect cases.
- Prince Edward Island is reporting 4 suspect cases.
At this time, the cause of SARS remains unknown, however national and international
laboratory testing and collaboration is ongoing.
Most Recent Travel Advisory Information
Due to the mounting concern about transmission of the SARS agent in non-hospital
and community settings in the City of Hanoi, Vietnam; the People's Republic
of China including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Singapore;
and Taiwan, Health Canada recommends that persons planning to travel to these
areas should defer all travel until further notice. Health Canada also recommends
alternate routing be considered, when possible, if a traveller is transiting
through the People's Republic of China including the Hong Kong Special Administrative;
City of Hanoi, Vietnam; Singapore; or Taiwan. Health Canada is aware that health
authorities in these affected areas are making concerted efforts to contain
the spread of SARS in their populations. Given the uncertainties of the current
situation, Health Canada believes it is prudent to await the outcome of national
and international control measures before undertaking travel to these destinations.
For further information on this travel advisory, please see:
www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/2003/sars0329_e.html
Health Canada's SARS Screening Initiative at Pearson Airport
- Effective April 1, 2003, Health Canada is informing all departing travellers
from Pearson International Airport about SARS through the Health Alert Notice
(cherry cards).
- The local airport authority has placed the Health Alert Notices and posters
at strategic locations at the Pearson International Airport informing travellers
who meet certain criteria to defer their flights. These criteria include:
having SARS symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing);
having been in contact with a SARS-affected person in the last 10 days; and,
having visited a health facility that has been identified by public health
officials as being affected by SARS.
- If passengers have symptoms, they are instructed to call their personal
physician and when they see their physician, they are instructed to give
them the Health Alert Notice and explain why they have deferred their travel.
- If passengers have visited a SARS-affected facility or have had contact
with a SARS-affected person, they are instructed to call their local health
department.
- A Health Canada SARS Team of physicians and nurses have been deployed
to Pearson to provide information to airline and airport staff.
- Passengers seeking further information are advised to call the Health
Canada SARS Info Line at 1-800-454-8302.
- Health Canada will be continually monitoring the situation on the ground
at Pearson and will respond accordingly.
- Health Canada is asking for the cooperation of local health authorities,
the airline industry and the travelling public on this initiative.
Summary of Key Health Canada Activities to date
- Health Canada understands the public concern over SARS. This is an unknown
disease that concerns all Canadians. Health Canada is taking this public
health situation very seriously and has taken a number of steps to protect
the health of Canadians and the travelling public, and to reduce the possibility
of transmitting SARS to others.
- Health Canada activities include 24-hour monitoring and surveillance of
this disease in Canada and around the world.
- Continuous laboratory testing is underway at Health Canada's National
Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg in an effort to find the cause of SARS.
- There are also increased visual screening measures for airline passengers,
workplace health and safety initiatives, and prevention and promotion activities.
- Health Canada has expanded Health Alert Notice distribution at major airports
in Canada. These Health Alert Notices ask passengers to see a physician if
they begin to have any symptoms related to SARS. These symptoms include a
fever over 38.0 degrees Celsius AND one or more of the following respiratory
symptoms: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
- Health Canada has sent staff to Pearson, Vancouver and Dorval International
Airports to support airport staff.
- Health Canada's Workplace Health and Public Safety Programme is providing
advice to federal employers on occupational health and safety matters.
- Health Canada is collaborating and coordinating efforts with our counterparts
across Canada, including the Chief Medical Officers of Health in each province
and territory. Health Canada is chairing five Working Groups made up of experts
dealing with such issues as infection control, treatment guidelines and public
health measures.
- Health Canada is providing expertise, advice, personnel, and medical supplies
and equipment to Ontario.
- Health Canada is also in daily contact with our partners worldwide, including
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well the World
Health Organization (WHO) in an effort to try and find the source and cure
for this syndrome.
- Health Canada's collaboration is further facilitated with the presence
of Health Canada staff at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. In addition, Health
Canada and the CDC have exchanged staff members to work in each other's Emergency
Response Centres.
Health Canada will continue to do everything it can to keep Canadians informed
and will continue to work with the provinces and territories so that medical
officers are fully informed and appropriate steps are taken to mitigate risk.
For additional information on SARS, please contact Health Canada's information
line at: 1-800-454-8302.
For information on previous travel advisories to South East Asia issued by
Health Canada and the World Health Organization, please see the following links:
World
Health Organization issues emergency travel advisory (March 15, 2003) 
Health Canada Travel Advisory
(March 28, 2003)
For Media Enquiries:
Emmanuel Chabot
Health Canada
(613) 957-1803
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