The World Health Organization has removed all travel advisories to Toronto, as well as removing it from the list of areas with recent local SARS transmission, according to a statement on WHO's Web site. The decision was made following a teleconference between Toronto and Health Canada officials and WHO.
The most important consideration in lifting the advisory is whether 20 days have passed since the last locally acquired case was isolated or died. If no further cases have occurred for 20 days, which is twice the maximum incubation period for SARS, the chain of transmission is considered broken. The last locally acquired case in Canada was isolated on 20 April.
WHO issues recommendations related to international travel as one of several measures designed to reduce the risk of further spread of SARS.
WHO has also issued guidelines for mass gathering events, specifically about hosting persons arriving from an area with recent local transmission of SARS.
For more information, visit www.who.int/en/.
