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CNN Live Event/Special

SARS Update: Another Death in Toronto

Aired May 30, 2003 - 20:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And it's time now for our timeline. First up, the 3:00 p.m. hour Eastern time. That's when we found out the death toll from SARS has risen in Canada.
Our Jason Carroll is standing by. He is live from Toronto this evening -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Daryn, health officials announced today there has been, in fact, another SARS-related death, bringing the total number in the Ontario area now to 30. The victim has been described as a 57-year-old man. He is not a health care worker. He apparently acquired the disease when he was at the St. John Rehabilitation Center. That is a hospital in the Ontario area.

Health officials here have been saying all along, Daryn, that this is a disease that has basically been confined to the health care community. Even so, they also acknowledge it's been still very difficult for them to get this under control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: SARS is proving to be a very difficult virus. The experiences worldwide are that it's very difficult to contain within the health care system, and this is certainly the area that it spreads very easily.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: The number of probable SARS cases in the Ontario area has risen as well. That number now stands at 43. Health officials say that some of those people who are in critical condition, there are at this point at least 10 of those people who are in critical condition. They're saying that because of that, there is also a chance that the death toll could rise even more, Daryn.

KAGAN: And Jason, one reason this is so discouraging for Canadians, it seemed they were past this. They had gone through two complete cycles, as I understand it, of a lack of growing infections, and then this pops up. Are they going back and realizing where they let their guard down too soon?

CARROLL: Absolutely. Apparently, Daryn, according to health officials, mistakes were obviously made within the health care community. As you said, there was a period of time when there were no cases of SARS, new cases of SARS that had popped up. And at one point, somewhere within the health community, health care community and the hospitals, not enough precautions were taken in terms of dealing with people who were sick. And because of that, you had an increased number of infection.

KAGAN: Jason Carroll in Toronto. Jason, thank you for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired May 30, 2003 - 20:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And it's time now for our timeline. First up, the 3:00 p.m. hour Eastern time. That's when we found out the death toll from SARS has risen in Canada.
Our Jason Carroll is standing by. He is live from Toronto this evening -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Daryn, health officials announced today there has been, in fact, another SARS-related death, bringing the total number in the Ontario area now to 30. The victim has been described as a 57-year-old man. He is not a health care worker. He apparently acquired the disease when he was at the St. John Rehabilitation Center. That is a hospital in the Ontario area.

Health officials here have been saying all along, Daryn, that this is a disease that has basically been confined to the health care community. Even so, they also acknowledge it's been still very difficult for them to get this under control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: SARS is proving to be a very difficult virus. The experiences worldwide are that it's very difficult to contain within the health care system, and this is certainly the area that it spreads very easily.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: The number of probable SARS cases in the Ontario area has risen as well. That number now stands at 43. Health officials say that some of those people who are in critical condition, there are at this point at least 10 of those people who are in critical condition. They're saying that because of that, there is also a chance that the death toll could rise even more, Daryn.

KAGAN: And Jason, one reason this is so discouraging for Canadians, it seemed they were past this. They had gone through two complete cycles, as I understand it, of a lack of growing infections, and then this pops up. Are they going back and realizing where they let their guard down too soon?

CARROLL: Absolutely. Apparently, Daryn, according to health officials, mistakes were obviously made within the health care community. As you said, there was a period of time when there were no cases of SARS, new cases of SARS that had popped up. And at one point, somewhere within the health community, health care community and the hospitals, not enough precautions were taken in terms of dealing with people who were sick. And because of that, you had an increased number of infection.

KAGAN: Jason Carroll in Toronto. Jason, thank you for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com