Four hospitals in Canada's Toronto formed on Tuesday an alliance to become severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) centers, where any patients from the new cluster of cases will be assessed and treated as they emerge in the next few days, reports reaching here said. The system is designed to let other hospitals resume normal schedules, and most importantly, to protect urgently needed health-care workers.
"What we are doing is concentrating the treatment and expertiseof SARS at these four key sites to ensure that we can quickly identify and contain the disease during this new wave of cases," Ontario Health Minister Tony Clement told a news conference.
The alliance will work together on issues such as transferring patients to alternative levels of care, establishing specialized units and formalizing agreements on staffing resources and supplies.
The decision came after a new SARS cluster flared up in Torontohospitals because one case simmered for weeks undetected.
The case was a 96-year-old man who became infected while in theorthopedic wing at North York General Hospital and later died. Before his death, he passed it on to other patients who were then transferred to other hospitals in the city.
There are currently 9 probable SARS cases and 23 suspected cases in Toronto, Ontario Chief Medical Officer Colin D'Cunha toldreporters.
The number of Canada's SARS deaths now stands at 27.
