Had SARS not claimed 44 lives in Toronto from two outbreaks in early 2003, would the outbreak of an unknown respiratory illness in a Toronto nursing home be front page news? No way, Jose.
Six elderly patients at the Seven Oaks Home for the Aged in Scarborough are dead, and as tragic as this is, I don't believe it's particularly uncommon. I know first hand that nursing homes can be hit hard by a particular respiratory illness forcing them to close their doors to family members until everything is under control. The six that have died were all elderly and frail. Dr. Allison McGeer, an infectious disease specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital, has ruled out SARS, avian flu, Legionnaires and influenza A and B. Did you read that world? This isn't SARS, dammit!
I suppose the foul stench of SARS will linger for a while yet while the world awaits the imminent pandemic. Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss and the flu is just the flu. Somebody tell CNN...
