What is SARS?: SARS is the acronym for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and is a respiratory illness caused by a SARS-associated coronavirus virus.
What is the history of SARS?: The SARS-associated coronavirus is new to people. SARS was first reported in February 2003 in Asia, although it started in southern China in November 2002. From About's Go Asia guide writing during the outbreak, an advertisement to attract tourists to Hong Kong was revoked. It said, "Hong Kong Will Take Your Breath Away." The WHO issued an emergency travel advisory on March 15, 2003 regarding SARS, whose cause was unknown at that time. Until the outbreak was declared over in June 2003, 8,098 people were infected and 774 of them died. By July 2003, the WHO declared that the SARS outbreak was over.
Where in the world is SARS found?: The SARS outbreak of 2003 started in Asia, but traveled along with infected individuals all around the world. The WHO issued a warning against travel to Toronto. Air travel warnings and measures became commonplace. SARS could appear again anywhere.
Who gets SARS?: Anyone in close contact with an infected individual can get SARS. SARS viruses take a ride on droplets that may be emitted by a person when sneezing or coughing and deposited on common objects, such as doorknobs and telephones. The virus can survive alone for at least a few days.
A person gets SARS by breathing in the contaminated droplets or picking virus up on the hands and spreading it to the so-called mucous membranes, which are the eyes, nose and mouth.
The symptoms of SARS start around 2-7 days after contact, although there are some reports of people getting SARS 10-14 days after contact with the virus.
Can animals get SARS too?: Coronaviruses can cause severe disease in cats, dogs, pigs, mice and birds. SARS is a type of coronavirus, so it is logical to conclude that SARS could infect animals as well. In 2003, About.com's exotic pet's guide wrote that ferrets and cats can be infected with SARS as well as [link url=http://cats.about.com/cs/basichealth/a/civetcat_2.htm?terms=SARS]civet cats[/link].
What are the symptoms of SARS?:
- High fever, higher than 100.4 F or 38 C., sometimes with chills.
- Headache and body aches and generally feeling of illness.
- Some people may experience respiratory difficulty.
- 10-20 per cent of infected individuals also had diarrhea.
- After 2-7 days a dry cough appears and blood oxygen levels may be low (hypoxia)
- Most patients develop pneumonia.
How long would I be contagious? : The CDC recommends that people wait until 10 days after the fever has gone away and respiratory symptoms have gotten better before going out in public. Also, keep your mouth covered with a tissue when sneezing or coughing.
How is SARS treated?: SARS is treated the same as an atypical pneumonia. Also antiviral drugs are also being tested for effectiveness against SARS. Vaccines for SARS are also being developed as reported here in China Daily.
Be aware of SARS treatment scams.
What can I do to prevent SARS?:
- Stay away from SARS-infected individuals and public gatherings in the event of an outbreak. Of course, this is not always possible, so, pay attention to the next prevention measures.
- Do not share eating utensils with SARS-infected individuals and keep your distance. Three feet is enough.
- and try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth
- Wear a mask (N95 or better rated)
Sources::
- CDC. Factsheet:Basic Information About SARS.
- CDC. Frequently Asked Questions About SARS.
- ADAM Healthcare Center. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.