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April 27 - May 4,2003 |
SARS continues to cause concern
Toronto experiences more outbreaks and deaths as the mysterious disease spreads
Originally Published: 2003-04-13
With 10 known deaths, and nearly 200 known cases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is sweeping over Toronto and the vicinity at a concerning speed. And while doctors are confident that the problem is under control, and that new cases will begin decline because of steps taken, many wonder if the situation was too slow in detection and handling.
SARS was first identified in Toronto in early March, and results concluded that patients worldwide ranged from 24 to 78 years old, and that 60 percent were men. Transmission occurred only after close contact and the most common presenting symptoms were fever (in 100 percent of cases) and malaise (in 70 percent), followed by nonproductive cough (in 100 percent) and dyspnea (in 80 percent) associated with infiltrates on chest radiography (in 100 percent).
The international media have played an around-the-clock part in communicating breaking news to the public by television, radio, print publications, and the Internet. Speed of scientific discovery and speed of communication are hallmarks of the response to SARS and reflect amazing achievements in science, technology, and international collaboration.
However, despite these advances, a very sobering question remains - are we fast enough? Can we prevent a global pandemic of SARS? The epidemic is progressing rapidly in many parts of Asia. The situation in mainland China is not entirely clear, but the available information strongly suggests that there is ongoing transmission in at least some provinces.
The epidemic is still expanding in Hong Kong, despite heroic measures on the part of the government to curtail its spread. Clusters of cases in community settings such as hotels and apartment buildings in Hong Kong demonstrate that transmission can be extremely efficient. Likewise, very high attack rates among health care workers in Hanoi, Vietnam, and in hospitals in Hong Kong document the highly contagious nature of this virus. Many household contacts have become ill.
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