On April 23, 2003, the World Health Organisation advised against travelling to Toronto because a SARS outbreak had been detected there. There were 252 cases with 44 deaths.

That outcome would be dwarfed in a pandemic, as a study by Canadian economist Sherry Cooper recalls.

The WHO warning virtually quarantined Toronto. Public events were scratched. Miramax moved filming of the movie Shall We Dance to Winnipeg.

The tourist industry, Toronto’s second-largest sector, lost more than $C500m ($552m) and 28,000 tourism jobs were eliminated. Hotels were two-thirds empty, costing the local industry $125 million.

Mass transit was hard hit and attendance at museums, theatres and restaurants declined sharply. There was a run on face-masks and anti-bacterial soap.

More than 15,000 people were confined to their homes for 10 days of quarantine, and many businesses sequestered some essential employees in their homes to be called on in the event of an outbreak at the office. All 1700 students in one high school were quarantined after one picked up the disease.

By far the highest tolls were on the healthcare system. By the end of the epidemic, nearly half of the reported cases were among its workers (109 cases) and three of them died. Waiting lists for elective surgery, which were already two years in length, got longer. Horror stories of insufficient capability to administer chemotherapy and radiation treatment were numerous.

Many people refused dental work and many dentists refused patients. All doctors’ offices required a hand wash with an anti-bacterial agent before and after treatment.