Third Canadian dies from flu bug

A third Canadian is believed to have died from the mysterious flu-like illness that spread from Asia and two suspected new cases have been reported in Ontario, health officials said.

Dr Colin D’Cunha, Ontario’s Commissioner of Public Health, said the victim died late on Friday and his death had been classified as a probable case of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

The coroner’s office is now investigating the death.

Dr Don Low, chief of microbiology at Mount Sinai Hospital, said he was convinced other medical problems and age were contributing factors in the latest death.

It is believed that the third victim, identified as a man in his 70s, contracted SARS after being placed in an observation room with Chi Kwai Tse, a 44-year-old man who later died. Tse was the son of Sui-chu Kwan, the first Toronto person to die of the disease.

Low said Tse was probably “at the height of his disease” when the two men shared a room. The elderly man, who was being treated with antibiotics and antiviral agents, had been on respiratory support since he was admitted to the hospital, according to Low.

Of the two new cases of SARS in Ontario, one is classified as probable and the other is considered suspect.

Both patients are in isolation and had been in close contact with carriers of SARS.

D’Cunha said anyone who has symptoms related to SARS, and recently travelled to China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore, or had had close contact with someone diagnosed with SARS, should contact a doctor.

“The risk of contracting SARS among the general population is extremely low,” said D’Cunha, who is also the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

A high fever, combined with coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, are some of the symptoms related to SARS.

Ontario officials said there are now nine probable cases of SARS and three suspect cases.

SARS has now made at least 386 people around the world ill and killed 11 people in the past three weeks, according to WHO figures, which do not include the third Canadian death under investigation.

Experts suspect it is linked to an earlier outbreak of an unidentified disease in China, where officials say 305 people have fallen ill and five have died.

Hong Kong remains the most seriously affected area, with more than half the total cases. Vietnam and Singapore have also been hit hard. The United States has reported 22 suspected cases, according to the latest WHO figures.