Death Toll From Canada Outbreak Now at 16

TORONTO – A deadly outbreak of a respiratory illness at a Toronto nursing home for the elderly has claimed six more lives, raising the death toll to 16, health officials said Wednesday.

The cause of the outbreak at the Seven Oaks Home for the Aged remains unknown, although officials insisted the situation was under control. Thirty-eight people remained hospitalized with the illness, and officials fear many of them are too frail to fully recover. Another 88 residents, employees and visitors have been affected.

Public health officials have said it may never be possible to determine the exact type of bug responsible for the rash of illnesses, but they have ruled out influenza, avian flu, SARS and Legionnaire’s disease.

Anxiety over the outbreak has been exacerbated by fears of SARS – severe acute respiratory syndrome – which claimed 44 lives in Toronto from two outbreaks in the spring of 2003. More than 8,000 people worldwide contracted the illness and 774 people died.

Authorities have said the outbreak, while more serious than average, was not particularly unusual, especially as the flu season approaches.

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Toronto Public Health: http://www.toronto.ca/health