SARS ruled out in respiratory illness at Surrey nursing home

VANCOUVER - Laboratory findings at British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and BC Cancer Agencys Genome Sciences Centre provide conclusive evidence the virus responsible for an outbreak of respiratory illness at Surreys Kinsmen Place Lodge is not the SARS corona virus.

"We have clearly found large sequences of the virus that are not present in the SARS coronavirus," said Dr. David Patrick, director of epidemiology at BCCDC. "The epidemiology and clinical evidence has told us all along this illness we were dealing with was not Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, and now our laboratory findings corroborate this.

"Further genome sequencing of the virus identified in the outbreak points to a known family of human corona viruses, related to OC43. The symptoms caused by this family of viruses are consistent with those suffered by the residents and staff at Kinsmen Place Lodge."

"Our public health response was necessarily cautious until we figured out what agent we were dealing with," said Dr. Perry Kendall, provincial health officer for British Columbia. "Our ability to respond quickly and effectively has really shown the benefit of working collaboratively at all levels and the value of having laboratory and research capacity within our public health network."

"After some preliminary laboratory findings indicated the possibility of a SARS-like corona virus, health officials at Fraser Health Authority placed Kinsmen Place Lodge and a ward at Surrey Memorial Hospital on heightened infection control precautions.

"Given this new information, in consultation with the provincial health officer and BCCDC we have decided to downgrade our precautions to normal infection control protocol for respiratory illness at long-term care facilities," said Roland Guasparini, chief medical health officer for Fraser Health Authority.

"Staff remaining in quarantine will be released and able to resume normal duties, and limited visiting will be allowed again at Kinsmen Place Lodge. I am particularly grateful for the residents, their families and staff who have been so cooperative in dealing with this difficult situation."

Since the outbreak began in early July, 96 residents and 51 staff have suffered mostly mild cold-like symptoms such as runny nose.

Laboratory research to sequence the entire genome of the virus responsible for the outbreak continues.

August 22, 2003