2003-11
July 2, 2003
4:00 pm

Advisory

Update #92 - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Latest Canadian Numbers on SARS

For a daily report on the cumulative number of probable and suspect SARS case reports in Canada, as of July 2, 2003, please see the following link:

www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/sars-sras/cn-cc/numbers.html

World Health Organization Removes Toronto from “Affected Areas” List

On July 2, the WHO removed Toronto from their list of areas with recent local transmission. For more information on this announcement, please see the following link:

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_07_02/en/

Government of Canada Funding to Ontario to Fight SARS

On June 19, the Government of Canada announced additional funding of $250 million to help the Province of Ontario in the fight against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), in recognition of Ontario's extraordinary effort to protect public health.

For further details on this announcement, please see the following news release:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/media/releases/2003/sars.htm

Health Canada Travel Advisories

Health Canada has issued a number of travel advisories to keep Canadian travellers informed regarding travel to affected areas.

For further information on Health Canada’s travel advice, please see:

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Global Activity

Domestic Travel Health Advice: SARS in Toronto

Enhanced Screening Measures for Travellers

Health Canada is continuing with the enhanced screening measures for travellers. These measures build on a number of steps already taken regarding travel since late March to help prevent the further importation and spread of SARS.

We have:

• stationed quarantine officers and health care professionals to screen passengers at Pearson and other airports;
• arranged for the distribution on all direct flights coming from Asia of Health Alert Notices and Traveller Contact Information Forms;
• arranged for the distribution of yellow Health Alert Notices on all international flights into Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Montreal;
• been distributing, with the help of airlines, health questionnaires to all international passengers departing from Pearson airport;
• produced a video on SARS designed to alert travellers to the first symptoms of SARS and to provide them with information on what they should do if they become unwell during the flight or upon arrival and what to expect when they arrive in Canada. The videos are being shown on airlines flying out of Asia into Toronto and Vancouver;
• set up a pilot project of twelve machines at Pearson and Vancouver airports to evaluate temperature monitoring equipment to determine its effectiveness in the early identification of SARS;
• been distributing yellow Health Alert Notices to people entering Canada at selected land border crossings; and
• placed advertisements in national daily newspapers to hire people to help with the implementation of enhanced screening measures at airports.

LINKS:

It’s Your Health: Health Canada SARS Fact Sheet:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/diseases/sars.html

Quarantine Act and Regulation – SARS Amendment Fact Sheet

Government of Canada measures to help the people of Toronto and Canada

Health Canada Statement on the Health Canada / U.S. CDC Preliminary Report on the investigation into SARS spread to health-care workers:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/media/releases/2003/sars_statement.htm

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 consult Health Canada’s SARS web site at www.sars.gc.ca, or call the Health Canada SARS information line at: 1-800-454-8302.

Media Enquiries:
Emmanuel Chabot
Health Canada
(613) 957-1803