WHO lifts Toronto travel advisory

GENEVA -- The World Health Organization lifted its warning against nonessential travel to Toronto because of SARS on Tuesday, but in Asia the disease continued its spread as Hong Kong reported 12 new deaths, China nine and Singapore one.\nThe global death toll from SARS has climbed to at least 355, with more than 5,300 infections in more than 20 countries, including probable cases reported for the first time in South Korea, Mongolia and New Zealand.\nTravel warnings still stand for Hong Kong, Beijing and two Chinese provinces, as China's premier admitted his government failed to act quickly against the disease.\nIn return for the WHO's decision, the Canadian government promised to do more to prevent the spread of SARS by screening passengers leaving the country.\nWorld Health Organization Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland said the advisory was lifted because there had been no new outbreaks in the community at large for 20 days. She stressed that Toronto is still an "affected area" and travel guidance would be reevaluated if there are any new cases.\nThe decision to lift the advisory takes effect Wednesday. Canadian officials were delighted.\n"Our city is safe and I want everyone to come and experience all that Toronto has to offer," Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman said.\nTony Clement, health minister for Ontario province, and his delegation met Brundtland for an hour earlier Tuesday in Geneva. They said Canadian authorities would introduce new screening measures on people leaving the country.\nHong Kong and Singapore already have put such screening measures into effect.\n"We certainly know our vigilance must not stop and that we have a responsibility inside and outside our own borders to continue and to win the fight against SARS," Clement said in Geneva.\nHealth officials are stationed at Canada's major airports to watch for symptoms of SARS among passengers arriving from SARS hot spots in Asia, where the illness originated. All international travelers receive information cards on SARS, and similar measures now will be applied to passengers leaving Toronto.\nOutside Asia, Canada has seen the most SARS cases, with 21 deaths and more than 140 cases overall. The majority of the cases have been in Toronto hospitals and health authorities have used quarantine and close monitoring and tracking to try to contain the illness.\n"There is a need for us to recognize the fact that the SARS epidemic is going to be a long-term, a complex and a relapsing epidemic," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said at an emergency summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Bangkok, Thailand.