While no cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have been reported in the Kenora-Rainy River districts, the outbreak of SARS in Toronto and elsewhere across the country has forced hospitals in Fort Frances, Emo, and Rainy River to restrict visitor access.
Starting Tuesday afternoon, all people will be restricted from visiting those three facilities—with the only exception being made for compassionate grounds, such as palliative care, critically-ill children, or visits to a patient whose death may be imminent.
All persons arriving at the hospital must undergo a screening before entrance is permitted.
Visits also are restricted to volunteers and hospital auxiliary members as well as anyone attending community meetings, on-site board meetings, and social functions.
Entrance to La Verendrye hospital has been changed to 6:45 a.m.-5 p.m. There remains 24-hour access via the emergency entrance, but this is for staff and emergency visits only.
Signs with further details will be posted at the Emo and Rainy River Health Centres.
There also will be cancellations of some non-essential services and programs during this time. Efforts will be made to contact those affected. If you are not sure, call the hospital at 274-3261.
Meanwhile, the Northwestern Health Unit reports here has been respiratory illness reported in the community, however, not all respiratory illness is associated with SARS.
Travel to Southeast Asia, or contact with Scarborough Grace Hospital, York Central Hospital, or contact with someone who has been identified as a SARS patient, are key factors.
The Health Canada Travel Advisory now recommends Canadians not travel to all of China, Hong Kong, Hanoi (Vietnam), and Singapore. Health Canada is now recommending alternate routes be considered instead of having to stop over in these areas while travelling.
The main focus of controlling SARS is on Toronto. Effective yesterday, 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 Pearson, informing travellers who meet certain criteria to defer their flights.
These include: having SARS symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, or 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. Health Canada will be continually monitoring the situation on the ground at Pearson and will respond accordingly.
Health Canada is asking for the co-operation of local health authorities, the airline industry, and the travelling public on this initiative.
As of yesterday, Health Canada has received reports of roughly 150 probable or suspect cases of SARS in Canada. There have been six deaths in Canada.
All Canadian cases have occurred in persons who have travelled to Asia or had contact with SARS cases in the household or in a health-care setting.
On a national scale, the details of the cases to date are as follows:
•Ontario is reporting 56 probable and 68 suspect cases (all cases have occurred in persons who have travelled to Asia or had contact with SARS cases in the household or in a health-care setting);
•British Columbia is reporting two probable and 12 suspect cases;
•New Brunswick is reporting one suspect case;
•Saskatchewan is reporting one suspect case;
•Alberta is reporting seven suspect cases; and
•Prince Edward Island is reporting four suspect cases.
At this time, the cause of SARS remains unknown, but national and international laboratory testing and collaboration is ongoing.
For the Kenora-Rainy River District, the Northwestern Health Unit will continue to monitor the situation and inform the public and all institutions if there are concerns with the disease and its spread.
If you’re concerned that you have been exposed to SARS, call 1-800-830-5978. If you would like more information about the illness, visit www.nwhu.on.ca or www.hc-sc.gc.ca
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
