Case Study of the SARS pandemic

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) first appeared in November 2002 in Guangdong Province of the People's Republic of China. It is a form of pneumonia and targets the respiratory tracts. In a span of few months, it spread to North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. The last case was cited in June 2003.

Consequences

At a 10% mortality rate, SARS infected a total of 8437 people and killed 813 globally.

In February 2004, an American businessman traveling from China fell ill and died in a hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. Soon, several of the doctors and nurses who treated him came down with the same pneumonia-like disease.

With a 10% mortality rate, SARS infected a total of 8437 people and killed 813 globally. It killed more than 50% of those over the age of 65 who were infected.

Government Response

The Chinese government initially suppressed news of the SARS outbreak, which allowed it to go undetected for a long period of time.

The Chinese government initially suppressed news of the SARS outbreak, which allowed it to go undetected for a long period of time. By March 2003, the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had issued health alerts. The United States quarantine officials issued health alert notices to air travelers with health advice, boarded airplanes to assess symptoms of travels reported to be ill, and facilitated transport of ill passengers. Governments like Taiwan in Asia screened incoming flights and outbound passengers, established community based control centers, and had ongoing awareness and education campaigns.

Sources Consulted

Sources