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| SARS kills 19 in Toronto, Canada |
| CCTV.COM 2003-04-26 14:04:49 |
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Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien says the World Health Organization came to the wrong conclusions when it recommended avoiding all but essential travel to Toronto because of the SARS outbreak there. His criticism of the WHO came on Friday, a day when the death toll in Toronto's SARS outbreak rose to 19 and the city launched a media campaign to attract visitors.
The death toll from SARS in Toronto rose to 19 out of more than 250 probable and suspected cases reported in this Canadian largest city. One SARS patient died on Thursday evening, another the following morning.
But the Canadian premier insists Toronto is safe as evidence of the economic damage by the SARS outbreak continues to mount, "We all believe that the World Health Organization came to the wrong conclusion. We believe Toronto is a good place to visit and it is a safe place."
Chretien, who has faced criticism for his low－key approach to the SARS outbreak, also said the federal cabinet would meet in Toronto on Tuesday instead of Ottawa. In addition, he announced the federal government would contribute 6.8 million US dollars to a marketing campaign to reassure the world that Toronto and all of Canada remain a safe and enjoyable tourist destination.
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Editor: Yang Feiyang CCTV.com
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