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A Clarification of SARS in Relation to the Toronto Summer Seminar Date Published: 04.05.03 For full information on the Summer Seminar - http://www.troid.org/centre/events/seminars During the last six weeks we have received occasional enquiry regarding SARS and its relation to the upcoming Salafee seminar in Toronto, 4th-6th July, 2003. Some brothers and sisters have issued concern about travelling to Toronto for fear of becoming infected with SARS. Though the enquiries have been few and generally resolved with clarification, what might be more alarming are the brothers and sisters who have an intention to attend but have already pre-determined that they will avoid Toronto due to SARS. This concern was recently raised by our brother, Mohsin Syed, an Atlanta based physician currently in post-graduate fellowship training for infectious disease. Our brother noted, ?From what I have studied about SARS in Toronto, and as you probably already know, the disease is endemic only to certain health care facilities in the city.  Based on new cases at these facilities, the CDC (Centre for Disease Control) has reinstated its travel alert [1], on May 24. I intend on buying a ticket myself and coming with some of the salafees from Atlanta, Georgia.  The only concern I have for you brothers is that many people originally planning on attending have succumbed to the bad hype out there.  It is sad how a virus and rumors can scare people.? The general concern of many brothers and sisters is not by chance; rather US and International media have made a hoopla of the SARS issue in Toronto. Whilst the Salafee community in Toronto (and the kuffaar for that matter) continue to attend work, schools, hospitals, businesses and other places of work as normal. The impression created from the outside looking in by CNN.com and other media outlets is that Toronto is under siege at the hands of a killer virus, and that the general public are masked and gowned fearing to breathe contaminated air or touch infected items. A scene from a horror story indeed! With the ?Iraaq issue subsiding, we suspect media agencies are again scrambling to find stories as this issue has been blown way out of proportion. The issue of economics is certainly a possible contributor as the billion dollar tourist industry could be swayed away from Canada towards the US and other destinations. Whatever the motive is, Allaah knows best. We kindly ask our noble brothers and sisters to carefully consider the source of where they receive their news from and to take the news of the trustworthy Muslim ahead of the propaganda Ferris wheel of the media that never stops spinning.  Remember that al-?Allaamah ?Abdul-Muhsin al-?Abbaad has referred to the kuffaar news reports as the ?new Israa?eeliyyaat (unverifiable narrations from the Children of Israa?eel).? So we hope that the fair-minded Salafiyyeen will not be deterred by propaganda from the disbelievers, taking them as thiqaat (trustworthy reporters) over the Salafees in the area. Some Important facts: Infected Area: None specifically, certain health-care facilities have been closed, a school quarantined, people who visited these areas between certain dates have also been quarantined. All of these occurrences are on other side of Toronto, far from the seminar venue. Schools: Open Businesses: Open Govt. Offices: Open Da?wah Centre: Open Our Advice to the Muslims At this time, we are confident that SARS is not a general threat to the noble brothers and sisters who are intending to attend the summer seminar. We have come to this conclusion after careful consultation of facts and statistics from various health organisations as well as our personal day to day experiences living in this city. We sincerely hope that our brothers and sisters are able to attend from N. America and beyond and we trust that those who attend will arrive wondering what all the fuss was about. The following are answers to frequently asked questions. Frequently Asked Questions Regarding SARS and the Toronto Seminar [Q1] Is SARS a plague? [A1] No, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) is a virus not unlike the common Cold/Flu which has been imported to Canada from visitors to Asia. The DNA make-up is similar to that of influenza and the symptoms likewise. In general terms it is like flu, sometimes a severe flu. Although it is true that deaths have been linked to the virus, for most people, it is the equivalent of flu. In Fathul-Baaree, Ibn Hajr quoted ?Iyaad as saying, ?The epidemic (wabaa?) is a generality of diseases.  And some of them have considered the taa?oon (plague) to be wabaa? (epidemic), because it is from its types.  However, every plague is not an epidemic, and this is what is meant by the statement of ad-Daawoodee when he mentioned that it is correct for the plague to be considered an epidemic.  Likewise, there has occurred from al-Khaleel Ibn Ahmad that the plague is an epidemic.  And Ibnul-Atheer stated in an-Nihaayah: The plague is a general disease.  And an epidemic is that which is airborne, such that the physical institution and bodies are harmed by it.? So in the Sharee?ah sense, a disease that has killed thirty one people amongst millions is not considered a taa?oon (plague), and thus the ahaadeeth about the plague are inapplicable to the SARS scare, as has been testified to by some of the Scholars of today. Furthermore, no reputable medical agency or government agency, American, Canadian or global to our knowledge has categorised this virus as a ?plague.? A plague is something that spreads like wild-fire, this virus is contained according to the government of Canada and as Health Canada has reported, "transmission has been limited to specific transmission settings such as households, hospitals and specific community settings." [Q2]: Would I be at risk visiting Toronto? [A2]: Currently, neither the CDC (Centre for Disease Control) nor the WHO (World Health Organisation) has issued any travel ban/warning against Toronto. A travel warning was issued in April by the WHO during the first detection of SARS (without visiting the city) and later removed. The CDC has never issued a travel warning but has also issued an alert. As of May 31st 2003, the WHO currently does not list Toronto as a place to avoid visiting: SARS Travel Recommendations Summary Table 31 May 2003 This table, updated daily, indicates those areas with recent local transmission of SARS for which WHO has issued recommendations pertaining to international travel. All international travelers should be aware of the main features of SARS and the areas of the world where local transmission has been reported. This table summarizes those areas of the world for which further specific measures have been recommended. Country - Canada Area -  Toronto   Exit screening for international travellers departing the area - YES Traveller to consider postponing all but essential travel to the area - NO Source: World Health Organization Ref: http://www.who.int/csr/sars/travel/2003_05_30/en/ [Q3]: What is the Difference between a ?Travel Advisory? and a ?Travel Alert?? [A3]: The following is excerpted from the CDC (Centre for Disease Control) website: INTERIM DEFINITIONS AND CRITERIA Travel Alerts vs. Travel Advisories April 30, 2003, 7:30 PM ET 1.       Download PDF version formatted for print (129 KB/2 pages) Travel Alert: notification by CDC that an outbreak of a disease is occurring in a geographic area. The purpose of an alert is to provide accurate information to travelers and resident expatriates about the status of the outbreak, how they can reduce their risk for infection, and what to do if they should become ill while in the area. The risk for the individual traveler is felt to be definable and limited; transmission has occurred in defined settings or is associated with specific risk factors (e.g., transmission in a health-care or hospital setting where ill patients are being cared for). There is no recommendation against nonessential travel to the area. Travel Advisory: notification by CDC that a disease is occurring in a geographic area. The purpose of an advisory is to provide accurate information to travelers and resident expatriates about the status of the outbreak and how they can reduce their risk for infection. It also serves to reduce the volume of traffic to the affected areas which in turn can reduce the risk of trans-locating the disease to previously unaffected sites. There is a recommendation against nonessential travel to the area because the risk for the traveler is considered to be much higher than for a simple travel alert notice ? for example, the risk is increased because of evidence of community transmission and/or inadequate containment. ----------------- Currently, the CDC has listed Toronto under the category of ?Travel Alert?, this categorisation does not advise travellers against visiting Toronto. Source: CDC | Travel Alerts vs. Travel Advisories - Syndrome (SARS) Ref:  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/travel_alertadvisory.htm [Q4]: Is the Seminar in an affected area, after all, SARS is in Toronto? [A4]: SARS has been isolated to a certain area and to be more specific certain facilities. During the first detection of SARS in early April, various hospitals to the east and north east of the city were closed. After containing this outbreak, SARS resurfaced in late May in one particular hospital on the east of the city and a school in Markham (a suburb just north east of Toronto) was also quarantined. The second occurrence is even more specific in its affected area than that of April. The da?wah centre and the seminar venue are on the west-end of Toronto, an area which has never been affected by SARS. Toronto is the 5th largest city in N. America and like most large north-American cities; it is divided into different sections or boroughs. Just as New York has Manhattan, Brooklyn etc. Toronto has Etobicoke, North York etc. The point here is that the affected facilities are in a part of Toronto which is far from the seminar venue, approximately 15 miles. It is important to understand that life in Toronto is very much normal at this time as it has been throughout the SARS issue. This is not a plague-like virus which has contaminated the very air we breathe but rather a virus that has been isolated to certain health-care facilities in another part of Toronto, far from the seminar venue. ?No one in Ontario has contracted SARS through casual contact?, said Toronto medical officer of health Dr. Sheela Basrur. [Q5]: But there are 100?s of cases of SARS in Toronto, isn?t this a risk? [A5]: There are currently 188 suspected/probable cases of SARS in Toronto. Of those cases, 31 people have died; the vast majority of them the elderly and very young. The following are statistics from the WHO: Country   - Canada   Cumulative number of case(s) -  188     Number of new cases since last WHO update - 29   Number of deaths - 30   Number recovered3 -  116 Date last probable case reported   -  30/May/2003   Date for which cumulative number of cases is current  -  30/May/2003   That?s 188 cases, 30 deaths linked to specific facilities in a city with a population of over 5 million people. There are more people who die in Toronto each year due to car accidents. The point being that SARS is not a general threat to the public according to the WHO and CDC and the Canadian government. Indeed, the believer must keep in mind that Allaah said, ?Say: Indeed, the death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to Allaah, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. And He will then tell you what you used to do.? [Sooratul Jumu?ah 62:8] ?Every soul shall taste death. And we shall make a trial of you with evil and with good and to Us will you we returned.? [Sooratul Anbiyaa 21:34-35] Source: World Health Organization Ref:  http://www.who.int/csr/sars/country/2003_05_31/en/ [Q6]: Has the US Govt. Imposed any travel restrictions on Canada? [A6]: No, as outrageous as it may seem, this was a true concern raised a while back. The US govt. has not issued any warning and there are no current or previous border-related restrictions imposed. The following is from the website of Customs and Border Protection, US Dept. of Homeland Security: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Alert Customs and Border Protection currently does not impose any mandatory quarantine or prohibitions on travellers arriving from identified SARS areas. However, Public Health reserves the right to quarantine all travellers on any international conveyance that is transporting an infected passenger. Until further resolution to this epidemic, possible delays may occur when attempting to re-enter the United States. For further information or updates on SARS, check the CDC web page at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/, or call the CDC public response hotline at (888) 246-2675 (English), (888) 246-2857 (Spanish), or (866) 874-2646 (TTY). Source: Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Ref: http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/travel/alerts/sars_alert.xml -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Note: ?a travel alert does not advise against travel but informs travellers of a health concern and provides advice about specific precautions.? Source: CDC, http://www.cdc.gov/travel/other/sars_can.htm For full information on the Summer Seminar - http://www.troid.org/centre/events/seminars