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Article: Learning from Listeria: the autonomy of the Public Health Agency of Canada
- Article from:
- Canadian Medical Association. Journal
- Article date:
- October 21, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Canadian Medical Association Oct 21, 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Public health
Five years after the SARS outbreak Canada's public health system is being tested again, this time by food-borne listeriosis. The 16 deaths as of Sept. 15 that have been attributed to Listeria-contaminated food have already surpassed onethird of the number of deaths caused by SARS. The ultimate toll of the listeriosis outbreak is unknown because of the long incubation period and the possibility that cases remain undetected.1
The listeriosis outbreak allows for an examination of the effectiveness of the public health reforms that were intended to better prepare Canada for such public health emergencies.2 Such an examination exposes serious concerns about public health governance ...