The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Wednesday that a new pathogen -a member of the corona virus family which has never before been seen in humans is the cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The successful identification of the corona virus means scientists can now confidently turn to other SARS challenges.
SARS was first detected late last year and is believed to have originated in southern China. The epidemic probably started in November last year in southern China’s Guangdong province when a businessman became ill with an unusual case of pneumonia. Doctors were unable to identify exactly what was making him sick. The four health workers who treated him also fell ill. Now, it appears this businessman was the first person to contract SARS.
Once inside the body, the SARS virus replicates in the respiratory tract and moves down into the lungs, possibly leading to severe respiratory distress. Symptoms begin with fever, headache and after two to seven days, a dry cough may develop.
According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga., suspect cases are determined when a person develops fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit and respiratory symptoms such as cough, breathing difficulty or shortness of breath within 10 days of having close contact with a person who may have SARS.
Statistics from CNNnews.com report more than 4,300 SARS cases around the world, with around 258 deaths. Numbers are dominantly progressing in areas around Asia.
U.S. citizens should be aware that this new epidemic is closer to home than many think.
The wordwide listings as of Wednesday were as follows:
Total number of probable cases: 4,318
Confirmed death toll: 258
Australia: Four cases reported.
Brazil: Two cases reported.
Canada:140 cases reported. 16 dead.
China: 2,305 cases reported. 106 dead.
France: Five cases reported.
Germany: Seven cases reported.
Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region): 1,488 cases reported. 109 dead, including a patient who was medically transferred from Vietnam.
India: One case reported.
Indonesia: One case reported.
Italy: Three cases reported.
Ireland: One case reported.
Japan: Two cases reported.
Kuwait: One case reported.
Malaysia: Five cases reported. Two dead.
Mongolia: Three cases reported.
Philippines: Two case reported. One dead.
Romania: One case reported.
Singapore: 189 cases reported. 17 dead.
South Africa: One case reported.
Spain: One case reported.
Sweden: Three cases reported.
Switzerland: One case reported.
Taiwan: 37 cases reported.
Thailand: Seven cases reported. Two dead.
United Kingdom: Six cases reported.
United States: 39 cases reported.
Vietnam: 63 cases reported. Five dead.
Last week, the Chinese Center for Disease Control issued an indirect but significant apology for failing to adequately inform the public-and the world-about the spread of the disease. More significantly, orders since late last month have been given to regional authorities to allow journalists to report even “negative” events and phenomena without undue delay. This action brings about the question of whether the media is accurately covering the epidemic.
Some students expressed their concerns.
“I just hope it (SARS) is under control before the news scares the
world to death,” Mississippi State University senior Michael Butler said. “The media makes it look like this is the end of mankind. The fact is that no one really knows what is going on worries me.”
Canadian Medical Commissioner Colin D’Cunha expressed to local news sources Wednesday his disappointment in how the World Heath Organization handled recent travel warnings to Canada.
“I am frankly disappointed with the WHO action. I’m just shaking my head here in amazement,” D’Cunha said.
By Wednesday Canada had reported 140 probable cases of SARS, including 16 deaths. The WHO warning is expected to hurt an already struggling economy in Canada’s largest city.
Paul Gully of the federal agency Health Canada was quoted as saying, “We do not support the World Health Organization’s position. We believe that it is safe to travel to Toronto.”
There are also fears concerning a mutation of the virus, with scientists in China saying they have found significant differences in the genetic code in samples of the SARS virus taken from different parts of the country.
The SARS virus is thought by many health experts to have made
the leap from animals to humans in Guangdong province, although how that happened is one of many mysteries yet to be solved.
The virus then spread to Hong Kong and from there, it has been carried by air travelers to more than 20 countries and territories around the world.
As reported from current WHO sources, SARS appears to spread by close person-to-person contact. Most cases of SARS have involved people who cared for or lived with someone with the virus. It is possible that SARS could be spread more broadly through air or by other ways currently unknown.
“This is a wake-up call to the United States and to other countries around the world regarding the challenges that emerging infectious diseases can pose,” director of the CDC in Atlanta James Hughes said.
Some experts suggest that if this outbreak dies down, the virus could pop up again with no warning or that it might follow a seasonal pattern, like the flu.
“The only constant is change,” chairman of the department of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University Dr. William Schaffner said. “We should expect from time to time for new viruses to emerge and new epidemics to occur..”