The following information is from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
FACT SHEET
Basic
Information About SARS
August 19, 2003, 3:00 PM ET |
 |
SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory illness caused
by a coronavirus, called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS was first
reported in Asia in February 2003. Over the next few months, the illness spread
to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and
Asia. The SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained; however, it is possible
that the disease could re-emerge. This fact sheet gives basic information about
the illness and what CDC has done to control SARS in the United States. To find
out more about SARS, go to
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/ and
www.who.int/csr/sars/en/.
The SARS
outbreak
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), during the SARS outbreak of
February – July 2003, a total of 8,437 people worldwide became sick with SARS;
of these, 813 died. In the United States, there were 192 cases of SARS among
people, all of whom got better. Through July 2003, laboratory evidence of
SARS-CoV infection had been detected in only eight U.S. cases. Most of the U.S.
SARS cases were among travelers returning from other parts of the world with
SARS. There were very few U.S. cases among close contacts of travelers,
including health-care workers and family members. SARS did not spread more
widely in the community in the United States.
Symptoms
of SARS
In general, SARS begins with a high fever (temperature greater than 100.4°F
[>38.0°C]). Other symptoms may include headache, an overall feeling of
discomfort, and body aches. Some people also have mild respiratory symptoms at
the outset. About 10 percent to 20 percent of patients have diarrhea. After 2 to
7 days, SARS patients may develop a dry cough. Most patients develop pneumonia.
How SARS
spreads
The main way that SARS seems to spread is by close person-to-person contact. The
virus that causes SARS is thought to be transmitted most readily by respiratory
droplets (droplet spread) produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Droplet spread can happen when droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected
person are propelled a short distance (generally up to 3 feet) through the air
and deposited on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, or eyes of persons who
are nearby. The virus also can spread when a person touches a surface or object
contaminated with infectious droplets and then touches his or her mouth, nose,
or eye(s). In addition, it is possible that the SARS virus might spread more
broadly through the air (airborne spread) or by other ways that are not now
known.
What does
“close contact” mean?
In the context of SARS, close contact means having cared for or lived someone
with SARS or having direct contact with respiratory secretions or body fluids of
a patient with SARS. Examples of close contact include kissing or hugging,
sharing eating or drinking utensils, talking to someone within 3 feet, and
touching someone directly. Close contact does not include activities like
walking by a person or sitting across a waiting room or office for a brief time.
CDC response to SARS
CDC worked closely with WHO and other partners in a global effort to address the
SARS outbreak. For its part, CDC took the following actions:
-
Activated its
Emergency Operations Center to provide round-the-clock coordination and
response.
-
Committed more
than 800 medical experts and support staff to work on the SARS response.
-
Deployed
medical officers, epidemiologists, and other specialists to assist with
on-site investigations around the world.
-
Provided
assistance to state and local health departments in investigating possible
cases of SARS in the United States.
-
Conducted
extensive laboratory testing of clinical specimens from SARS patients to
identify the cause of the disease.
-
Initiated a
system for distributing health alert notices to travelers who may have been
exposed to cases of SARS.
-
In addition,
CDC is continuing to work with federal, state and local health departments and
other professional organizations to plan for a rapid recognition and response
should SARS re-emerge.
CDC Recommendations
CDC issued recommendations and guidelines for people who might have been
affected by the outbreak. These included:
For
individuals considering travel to areas with SARS:
CDC issued two types of notices to travelers: advisories and alerts. A
travel advisory recommends that nonessential travel be
deferred; a travel alert does not advise against
travel, but informs travelers of a health concern and provides advice about
specific precautions. CDC updated information on its
website on the travel status
of other areas with SARS as the situation evolved.
For
individuals who had to travel to an area with SARS:
CDC advised that travelers in an area with SARS should wash their hands
frequently to protect against SARS infection. In addition, CDC advised that
travelers might wish to avoid close contact with large numbers of people as much
as possible to minimize the possibility of infection. CDC did not recommend the
routine use of masks or other personal protective equipment while in public
areas. For more information, read CDC’s interim
guidelines for
persons traveling to areas with SARS.
For
individuals who thought they might have SARS:
People with symptoms of SARS were advised to consult a health-care provider.
They also were told to tell their health-care provider about any recent travel
to places where SARS had been reported or whether there was contact with someone
who had these symptoms in order to help the health-care provider make a
diagnosis.
For
family members caring for someone with SARS:
CDC developed interim infection control
recommendations
for patients with suspected SARS in the household. It was advised that these
basic precautions be followed for 10 days after respiratory symptoms and fever
were gone. During that time, SARS patients were asked to limit interactions
outside the home (not go to work, school, or other public areas).
|
