Major SARS outbreak feared as 500 in group are exposed - GoFuckYourself.com

MrPopup · 04-15-2003, 09:38 AM

In the words of Neo....Whoa!

*************************************
Major SARS outbreak feared as 500 in group are exposed

By LISA PRIEST, CAROLYN ABRAHAM AND GLORIA GALLOWAY
With reports from Jennifer Lewington and Tara Perkins
Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - Page A1

Toronto's SARS outbreak has crossed a dangerous threshold after 500 members of a religious group were exposed to the disease and went on to unwittingly expose countless others, while some have since refused to quarantine themselves.

The mass exposure, which has so far resulted in 31 possible infections, now threatens to spread severe acute respiratory syndrome further afield in the community just as public-health workers hoped the worst had been contained.

But now they face the mammoth task of trying to track those who shopped, worked, attended prayer groups and conducted the business of ordinary life, potentially infecting many people along the way.

"All the stops have to come out now," said Donald Low, chief microbiologist at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital. "We have a short window of opportunity to try and contain this."

But some fear that the window has already closed.

The Globe and Mail obtained a string of e-mail messages yesterday between Toronto doctors and hospital officials in which one physician warned that, "We are on the cusp of community spread. . . . Many [of those exposed] have had extensive mobility in the community."

The development prompted officials to take the extraordinary step of issuing court orders yesterday to force two people to obey quarantine orders.

"They don't believe they're at risk, they think it's an unreasonable measure that has hitherto not been seen," said Gene Long, a spokesman for Toronto Public Health. ". . . . They're unaware, or unaccepting."

The possibility that new SARS cases will now be harder to trace to a clear source also means that people who turn up at hospitals with SARS symptoms, such as fevers and dry coughs, will now be contained, even if there is no apparent link to a SARS case, Toronto health officials said.

The mass exposure involved members of the Bukas-Loob Sa Diyos Covenant Community, a Catholic charismatic group in the Toronto area. And it has already had a ripple effect. About 100 city workers on the 19th floor of Toronto's Metro Hall were quarantined yesterday for three days because two colleagues connected to the religious group are being monitored for SARS.

It is unclear exactly when Ontario and Toronto health officials learned of the exposure involving the BLD group.

But city officials said they waited until last night before telling the public because they wanted first to "understand the degree of the disease" and talk to religious leaders.

In an "urgent message" dated April 12, Sheela Basrur, Toronto medical officer of health, tried to alert emergency departments and others that "members of this group may present [themselves] at hospital emergency departments or SARS assessment clinics with no obvious link to a known SARS case."

Toronto Public Health ordered some group members to be quarantined on Saturday, although some details remain fuzzy as to how or when they were exposed.

Dr. Basrur explained last night that at least one member of the BLD group had been at Scarborough Grace Hospital, where Toronto's outbreak began, and became infected some time after March 16.

This individual then attended a mass at which 500 BLD members gathered on March 28. The next day, half of the members attended a retreat.

By the end of March, a number of BLD members had developed SARS symptoms. But, Dr. Basrur said, because hospital staff did not know they had contact with a SARS case, they were not diagnosed as having the atypical pneumonia and were sent home.

Many BLD members then attended a visitation at the Highland Funeral Home on April 3. That day, several people who did not know they were infected with SARS came in close contact with others. They were there to mourn the passing of a man who had died of SARS, although no one knew this at the time.

The BLD Covenant Community, which has a largely Filipino membership worldwide and promotes family unity through Christ, holds regular activities, including prayer meetings and social gatherings.

"With a close group like this," a source said, "it could be analogous to something like an Amoy Gardens."

Amoy Gardens is the Hong Kong housing complex where a visit by one infected man is thought to have led to the infection of more than 200 people, and is largely blamed for the region's community spread.

News of the mass exposure emerged yesterday as Harvard University advised its faculty, staff and students not to travel to Toronto, or even Ontario, unless absolutely necessary.

Seaz · 04-15-2003, 09:41 AM

OHHH CRAP T.O. on the 18th could kill the porn industry .... literaly. LOL

MrPopup · 04-15-2003, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Seaz
OHHH CRAP T.O. on the 18th could kill the porn industry .... literaly. LOL

LeeNoga · 04-15-2003, 09:44 AM

The germ lives 3 hours in the air and your at risk even if there is no person in sight.

04-15-2003, 09:38 AM	#1
MrPopup Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: on the internet Posts: 3,783	Major SARS outbreak feared as 500 in group are exposed In the words of Neo....Whoa! ************************************* Major SARS outbreak feared as 500 in group are exposed By LISA PRIEST, CAROLYN ABRAHAM AND GLORIA GALLOWAY With reports from Jennifer Lewington and Tara Perkins Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - Page A1 Toronto's SARS outbreak has crossed a dangerous threshold after 500 members of a religious group were exposed to the disease and went on to unwittingly expose countless others, while some have since refused to quarantine themselves. The mass exposure, which has so far resulted in 31 possible infections, now threatens to spread severe acute respiratory syndrome further afield in the community just as public-health workers hoped the worst had been contained. But now they face the mammoth task of trying to track those who shopped, worked, attended prayer groups and conducted the business of ordinary life, potentially infecting many people along the way. "All the stops have to come out now," said Donald Low, chief microbiologist at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital. "We have a short window of opportunity to try and contain this." But some fear that the window has already closed. The Globe and Mail obtained a string of e-mail messages yesterday between Toronto doctors and hospital officials in which one physician warned that, "We are on the cusp of community spread. . . . Many [of those exposed] have had extensive mobility in the community." The development prompted officials to take the extraordinary step of issuing court orders yesterday to force two people to obey quarantine orders. "They don't believe they're at risk, they think it's an unreasonable measure that has hitherto not been seen," said Gene Long, a spokesman for Toronto Public Health. ". . . . They're unaware, or unaccepting." The possibility that new SARS cases will now be harder to trace to a clear source also means that people who turn up at hospitals with SARS symptoms, such as fevers and dry coughs, will now be contained, even if there is no apparent link to a SARS case, Toronto health officials said. The mass exposure involved members of the Bukas-Loob Sa Diyos Covenant Community, a Catholic charismatic group in the Toronto area. And it has already had a ripple effect. About 100 city workers on the 19th floor of Toronto's Metro Hall were quarantined yesterday for three days because two colleagues connected to the religious group are being monitored for SARS. It is unclear exactly when Ontario and Toronto health officials learned of the exposure involving the BLD group. But city officials said they waited until last night before telling the public because they wanted first to "understand the degree of the disease" and talk to religious leaders. In an "urgent message" dated April 12, Sheela Basrur, Toronto medical officer of health, tried to alert emergency departments and others that "members of this group may present [themselves] at hospital emergency departments or SARS assessment clinics with no obvious link to a known SARS case." Toronto Public Health ordered some group members to be quarantined on Saturday, although some details remain fuzzy as to how or when they were exposed. Dr. Basrur explained last night that at least one member of the BLD group had been at Scarborough Grace Hospital, where Toronto's outbreak began, and became infected some time after March 16. This individual then attended a mass at which 500 BLD members gathered on March 28. The next day, half of the members attended a retreat. By the end of March, a number of BLD members had developed SARS symptoms. But, Dr. Basrur said, because hospital staff did not know they had contact with a SARS case, they were not diagnosed as having the atypical pneumonia and were sent home. Many BLD members then attended a visitation at the Highland Funeral Home on April 3. That day, several people who did not know they were infected with SARS came in close contact with others. They were there to mourn the passing of a man who had died of SARS, although no one knew this at the time. The BLD Covenant Community, which has a largely Filipino membership worldwide and promotes family unity through Christ, holds regular activities, including prayer meetings and social gatherings. "With a close group like this," a source said, "it could be analogous to something like an Amoy Gardens." Amoy Gardens is the Hong Kong housing complex where a visit by one infected man is thought to have led to the infection of more than 200 people, and is largely blamed for the region's community spread. News of the mass exposure emerged yesterday as Harvard University advised its faculty, staff and students not to travel to Toronto, or even Ontario, unless absolutely necessary. __________________ <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" border="1" bgcolor="#008000"><tr><td><font size=3>Gone</font></td></tr></table>

04-15-2003, 09:41 AM	#2
Seaz Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 773	OHHH CRAP T.O. on the 18th could kill the porn industry .... literaly. LOL

04-15-2003, 09:44 AM	#4
LeeNoga Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Egg & Sperm Mutation Posts: 3,043	The germ lives 3 hours in the air and your at risk even if there is no person in sight.