Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Deadly bacterial infection reappears in hospitals

By JIM FOX
Published March 4, 2007

A bacterial infection that has killed four patients at a Toronto-area health center is the same lethal strain responsible for 2,000 deaths in recent years in Quebec hospitals.

Fourteen patients are in isolation with Clostridium difficile infections at the Trillium Health Center in Mississauga where the deaths occurred.

The victims were in their 70s and 80s and had complex medical conditions as well as the infection, hospital spokesman Roula Giannidis said.

Elderly people and patients taking antibiotics are vulnerable to the bacteria, found in feces.

It was previously considered to be a "nuisance," but has since grown worse in severity, said microbiologist Dr. Allison McGeer of Mount Sinai Hospital.

There is also a new outbreak at Honore Mercier Hospital near Montreal where there are five confirmed cases but no deaths.

The hospital is at the center of a coroner's inquest under way into the deaths of 16 patients from the bacteria between May and November last year.

'Get a passport. It's that simple.'

The best advice for Canadians is to get their passports if they plan to travel.

U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins said Canadians should be prepared to produce passports next year at all land and sea crossings into the United States.

There have been attempts on both sides of the border to extend the deadline over concerns the rule will impact on business and tourism.

"It could be implemented as soon as January," Wilkins said, adding: "Get a passport. It's that simple."

Passports for air travel were needed as of Jan. 23 for Canadians and Americans entering and leaving the United States, as well as for people from Mexico and Bermuda.

News in brief

- The Canadian government will spend $150-million for research into the "troubling" aspects of global warming in the Arctic, says Environment Minister John Baird. It's estimated the Arctic is losing an ice span the size of Lake Superior every year, raising the prospect it will be ice-free by 2050.

- There's a spike in popularity for the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The party has a nine-point lead over the Liberals in a Decima Research poll. Liberal support dropped to 27 percent since Stephane Dion became the leader last December. The New Democrats and the Green party are tied at 13 percent and Bloc Quebecois slipped to 8 percent.

- Dozens of gas stations in Ontario ran out of fuel temporarily and drivers' tempers flared in Toronto after shortages caused by a refinery fire. Production at the Imperial Oil refinery in Nanticoke won't be back to normal for another two weeks. The crisis pushed the price of regular gas to about $1 a liter $3.22 per gallon from about 79 cents ($2.54 per gallon).

Facts and figures

The economy strengthened at the end of 2006 with the gross domestic product rising 2.7 percent for the year, Statistics Canada reported.

The Canadian dollar dropped to 85.04 cents U.S. Friday while the U.S. greenback returns $1.1757 in Canadian funds before bank exchange fees.

The Bank of Canada's key interest rate remains at 4.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 6 percent.

Stock markets were lower, with the Toronto exchange index at 12,862 points on Friday while the Canadian Venture Exchange was 3,047 points.

Lotto 6-49: (Wednesday) 3, 6, 12, 15, 43, 44; bonus 37. (Feb. 24) 4, 6, 15, 33, 38, 40; bonus 13.

Regional briefs

- The brother of accused serial killer Robert Pickton remains a suspect in the ongoing investigation into missing Vancouver women, police say. Detective Mike McDonald made the comment about David Pickton at his brother's trial in Vancouver. Robert Pickton is being tried on six of 26 murder counts from among 39 missing women cases.

- The Saskatchewan government has paid $275,000 to a former employee fired for harassment and assault. The money settled the dismissal lawsuit by Murdoch Carriere, said Premier Lorne Calvert. Opposition politicians and the employee union called it a "reward," noting the nine women involved received only a total of $135,000 in compensation.

- Quebeckers must focus on the issues in the March 26 provincial election campaign and not on the personal lives of candidates, says Liberal Premier Jean Charest. He was commenting on reports about Parti Quebecois Leader Andre Boisclair and members of his party who are gay. Boisclair said voters will decide whether homosexuality is an issue worthy of consideration.

- Judy Mayer of Manitoba is a strong believer in psychics. Mayer just quit her job as manager of Transcona's Royal George Hotel after winning $6.8-million tax free in a Lotto 6-49 draw. She used five of six numbers given to her during a tarot-card reading.

Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com.

[Last modified March 4, 2007, 00:42:25]