19 March 2003
Fact Sheet: U.S. Disease Centers Answer Questions about New Flu-like Illness
(CDC is key partner in effort to identify illness) (890)
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a
March 18 fact sheet entitled "Frequently Asked Questions" about the
condition known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Following is the text of the CDC fact sheet:
(begin fact sheet)
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
March 18, 2003
Frequently Asked Questions
The Illness
What is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)?
SARS is a respiratory illness of unknown cause that has recently been
reported in a number of countries. For additional information, check
the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at www.who.int/en or
visit CDC's website at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars.
What are the symptoms and signs of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS)?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the main symptoms and
signs of SARS include a fever greater than 38 degrees Celsius (100.4
degrees Fahrenheit) and cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty
breathing.
If I were exposed to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), how
long would it take for me to become sick?
Initial information from the investigations in Hong Kong and Hanoi
indicates that the incubation period for SARS is between 2 and 7 days
on average.
How many cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have been
reported so far?
As of March 17, 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) has received
reports of approximately 170 suspect cases of Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS). Cases have been reported in China (Guangdong Province
and Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China), Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Switzerland, and Canada. Visit
www.who.int/en for daily updates on case reports.
How does the disease (SARS) spread?
It is difficult this early in the investigation to say exactly how
SARS spreads. Close contacts of cases, including health care workers
and family members, have developed similar illnesses. Examples of
close contact include having cared for, lived with, or had direct
contact with respiratory secretions and body fluids of people with
SARS.
Is SARS an outbreak of the Avian flu?
There is no evidence at this time that the current cases of SARS are
related to Avian flu.
Are there any reports of people having contracted SARS in the US?
While CDC is carefully investigating a number of reports of suspected
illnesses, as of March 17, 2003, there have been no cases of SARS
reported in the United States.
Who is most at risk of contracting SARS?
At this time, cases appear to primarily involve health care workers
caring for patients with SARS and close family contacts.
CDC Recommendations
What should I do if I think I have SARS?
If you are ill with fever accompanied by cough or difficulty
breathing, you should consult a health care provider. To help your
health care provider make a diagnosis, tell them about any recent
travel to regions where cases of SARS have been reported and whether
you were in contact with someone who had these symptoms.
What should I do if I have recently traveled to a country where cases
of SARS have been reported?
If you become ill with fever, accompanied by cough or difficulty in
breathing, you should consult a health care provider and tell them
about your recent travel.
What has CDC recommended to prevent transmission of SARS?
CDC has developed interim infection control recommendations for
patients with suspected SARS in the health care and community setting.
Visit www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars and review CDC Interim Information and
Recommendation for Health Care Providers and CDC Interim Guidance for
State and Local Health Departments.
Are there any travel restrictions related to SARS?
At this time there are no travel restrictions in place that are
directly related to SARS. However, a CDC travel advisory recommends
individuals who are planning nonessential or elective travel to parts
of China (Hong Kong, SAR, and Guangdong Province) and Hanoi, Vietnam
may wish to postpone their trip until further notice. For additional
information about travel advisories, check www.cdc.gov/travel, which
will be updated as necessary.
How should a suspected SARS patient be transported to ensure infection
control?
To minimize the potential of transmission outside the hospital, case
patients should limit interactions outside the home until more is
known about transmission of SARS. Placing a surgical mask on case
patients in ambulatory health care settings, during transport, and
during contact with others at home is recommended.
Other
What is CDC doing to combat this health threat?
CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC); deployed CDC
scientists to assist the World Health Organization (WHO) in the global
investigation; is assisting state and local health departments in
investigating possible cases of SARS in the United States; and is
analyzing laboratory specimens to identify a cause for SARS. As
always, CDC is committed to communicating regularly and effectively
with public health professionals, elected leaders, clinicians and the
general public.
Is there any reason to think SARS is or is not related to terrorism?
Information currently available about SARS indicates that people who
appear to be most at risk are either health care workers taking care
of sick people or family members or household contacts of those who
are infected with SARS. That pattern of transmission is what would
typically be expected in a contagious respiratory or flu-like illness.
(end fact sheet)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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