| Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrom |
Overview
Severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory illness that was first reported in Asia in February
2003. In early March, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global alert
about SARS. Over the next few months,
the illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America,
Europe and Asia. By late July, however,
no new cases were being reported and the illness was considered contained. According
to WHO, 8,437 people worldwide became sick with SARS during the course of this
outbreak. Of those people who became sick, 813 died. The
clinical criteria for the diagnosis of SARS are: *)
One or more signs or symptoms of respiratory illness including cough, shortness
of breath, difficulty breathing, hypoxia, or radiographic (X-ray) findings of
pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome AND
*) Fever (>38°
C, 100.4° F)
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