Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien promised to spend a night in Toronto and hold a cabinet meeting there to prove to World Health Organization experts that they were wrong in issuing a travel advisory against the city. He stated that the outbreak of the potentially dangerous SARS disease, which originated in Asia, now seems to be under control. On Friday, he allocated $7 million to the city of Toronto, which is economically threatened, to be used for its tourism. The Prime Minister's comments come as Canadian officials reported the deaths of two more individuals due to SARS, bringing the total fatalities in Canada to 18. Since the emergence of this disease in southern China last November, 274 people have died worldwide, and nearly 4,600 have been infected with the virus.
Canadians Upset Over Announcement of Quarantine - 2003-04-26
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is addressing public concern over a quarantine announcement by spending a night in Toronto and allocating funds to support its tourism. The SARS outbreak appears to be under control, but the death toll in Canada has reached 18, raising concerns about the economic impact.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced plans to spend a night in Toronto and allocated $7 million to support the city's tourism amid concerns over a SARS outbreak. The death toll in Canada has reached 18, but officials believe the outbreak is under control.
- Total SARS fatalities in Canada reached 18.
- 274 people have died worldwide from SARS since its emergence.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) is a viral respiratory illness that emerged in Asia and quickly spread globally, prompting significant health and economic concerns.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%