Health officials in Toronto reported another SARS death this evening, which brought the death toll from the deadly disease in the city to 40.
Ontario's Health Ministry said in a release that a 76-year-old woman had died on Friday. It also said the number of probable cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome fell to 17, from 21 two weeks ago, with seven people remaining in critical condition.
The World Health Organization took Toronto off its list of SARS-affected areas on July 2, for the second time, prompting hopes the city's nightmare with the deadly respiratory disease was finally over after nearly 400 cases.
Toronto, a city of about four million people, is the only place outside Asia where SARS has claimed lives.
The flu-like disease originated in southern China, spreading via a travelers to 30 countries. Nearly 8,500 have contracted the disease and 804 have died.