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SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome /
FRI: Febrile Respiratory Illness
ALL hospital clinics and services are up and running as usual.
The Minsitry of Health and Long-Term Care has recently changed the status of SARS to FRI, which stands for Febrile Respiratory Illness. This better represents the situation Ontario and the world are currently under with regards to respiratory illness.
Febrile Respiratory Illness (FRI): During non-outbreak conditions this includes a fever of greater than 38 degrees Celcius and new or worsening cough or shortness of breath to increase the specificity of this designation. During outbreak conditions, to maximize the sensitivity to potential SARS infection, this includes a fever of greather than 39 degrees Celcius or new or worsening cough or shortness of breath. The context in which FRI is determined must take the outbreak vs. non-outbreak conditions into account.
Non-Outbreak: Refers to the condition when there are no reported cases of SARS anywhere in the world.
Outbreak: For the purposes of SARS activity, an outbreak is defined as local transmission of SARS. This represents Level IV of the Regional Response Levels Outbreak definition which describes seven levels of outbreak. The local Medical Officer of Health is responsible for declaring a SARS outbreak. An outbreak may be setting-specific (e.g. a hospital with transmission) or health unit wide (e.g. transmission in more than one setting or significant community exposure). In declaring an outbreak the local Medical Officer of Health takes into account global and neighbouring jurisdiction conditions and the potential impact of those conditions.
Reference: Regional SARS Response Levels and Paradigm
To date, there have been no cases of SARS/FRI locally, however, we are still taking all necessary precautions.
All visitors are allowed in the hospital, but only within the regulated visiting hours.
- Regular visiting hours are 1pm to 9pm
- Obstetrics (infant delivery) visiting hours are 2pm to 4pm AND 6pm to 8pm.
- The ONLY exception to the visiting hours, is if you are the spouse or direct family member of the new mother. In that case, you may have more lenient visiting privileges.
- Visitors will be restricted to two per patient at once.
Currently, anyone entering the hospital who wishes to see a doctor must be screened, for risk of SARS/FRI. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire, and this information will be included in your patient chart.
Non-emergency patients will be referred to the Marathon Family Practice clinic.
If you have any questions about SARS/FRI, of if you would like to keep updated on what the most recent directives are which are coming from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, please visit the following site:
