SARS SCARE: Isolation to ruin economy: Toronto fights WHO order

<a href=www.indianexpress.com>www.indianexpress.com Thomas H. Maugh Ii & Usha Lee Mcfarling

Toronto, April 25: In an effort to stave off economic disaster, Canadian officials launched a campaign Thursday to repudiate the World Health Organization’s warning that it is potentially dangerous to travel to Canada’s largest city because of an outbreak of SARS.

Local officials met Thursday morning to plot strategies to restore tourism in this normally bustling city, dispatching Canadian diplomats to WHO headquarters in Geneva to plead for the warning to be rescinded. ‘‘Fortress Toronto’’ and ‘‘Boo WHO’’ read banner headlines on local newspapers, as the mayor and other officials made high-profile public appearances to dispel what they considered misguided perceptions about the city, the sixth largest in North America and the financial capital of Canada.

Toronto officials argued that, despite the WHO warning, they were making major progress in controlling Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Dr Sheela Basrur, the city’s chief medical officer, said that Toronto had not had a new case for seven days.

WHO’s warning against unnecessary travel, issued Wednesday, was quickly echoed by the governments of Britain, France, Ireland, Australia, Venezuela and Jamaica.

Local hotels, convention centres and theatres were already beginning to feel the effects of cancelled reservations. The US is by far the largest source of foreign visitors to Canada, with more than 62 million border crossings each year.

Some good news came from the nearby Nova Scotia, which has issued a similar warning, then withdrew it overnight.

Toronto officials feel a strong sense of outrage. ‘‘They (WHO) have quarantined an entire city,’’ said Mayor Mel Lastman. ‘‘I demand that WHO come to Toronto and see for themselves that Toronto is safe to visit, safe to work in, and safe to play in.’’

Masks are rarely sighted on Toronto streets. Bus and subway drivers have been ordered not to wear masks, even though some reportedly would like to do so.

There have been no cases of infection on public transportation, officials said, so there is no need for the masks.

The Canadian government’s effort to rescind the WHO travel warning will probably do no good. The warning will remain in force for a full three weeks, WHO spokesman Jon Linden said Thursday. (LAT-WP)