SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a human viral respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus, called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS was first reported in Southern China in November 2002 and was transported to other Asian regions and the world over the next few months. There has been no contestable statistics on the 2002-2003 pandemic outbreak, and on July 13, 2003, the last probable documented cases were a total of 8,096 with 774 deaths. [1]
Symptoms
In general, SARS begins with a high fever with a temperature greater than 38.0°C (100.4°F). Other symptoms may include headache, an overall feeling of discomfort, body aches, and mild respiratory symptoms at the outset. About 10 to 20 percent of patients have diarrhea. After 2 to 7 days, SARS patients may develop a dry cough. Most patients develop pneumonia.
Transmission
The main way that SARS seems to spread is by close person-to-person contact. In the context of SARS, close contact means having cared for or lived with 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 briefly sitting across a waiting room or office. 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).
References
- ↑ Cherry, J. D. (2004). The chronology of the 2002–2003 SARS mini pandemic. Paediatr. Respir. Rev., 5(4): 262–269. DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2004.07.009, PMID: 15531249, PMCID: PMC7106085