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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a mysterious respiratory illness that sickened more than 8,000 people worldwide and killed more than 750 between November 2002 and July 2003. While there is no known SARS transmission anywhere in the world at this time, CDC and its partners continue to monitor the SARS situation globally. |
In early 2003, a worldwide outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) swept the globe with remarkable speed and complexity. The World Health Organization reports that more than 8,000 people became ill and more than 750 people died from SARS between November 2002 and July 2003. While there is no known SARS transmission anywhere in the world at this time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its partners continue to monitor the SARS situation globally.
Because SARS begins with flu-like symptoms, many people were unaware that they were infected with the virus that causes SARS. SARS first appeared in Southern China, but quickly spread to more than two dozen countries around the world, as infected people spread the virus through contact with health care workers, family, co-workers and fellow travelers.
SARS seems to spread primarily through close person-to-person contact. Someone sick with SARS coughs or sneezes droplets into the air, and then someone else within about three feet of the infected person breathes them in. SARS also can be transmitted when a person touches a contaminated object and then touches his mouth, nose or eyes.
SARS usually begins with a fever, which is sometimes accompanied by chills or other symptoms, including headache, a general feeling of discomfort and body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms at the outset. After two to seven days, SARS patients may develop a dry cough and have trouble breathing. Most patients develop pneumonia.
Scientists at CDC and elsewhere detected a previously unrecognized coronavirus in patients with SARS. The new coronavirus, SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), remains the leading hypothesis for the cause of SARS. Because typical coronaviruses cause only mild to moderate upper-respiratory illnesses, researchers at CDC and other institutions are still trying to determine why SARS-CoV caused such a severe and potentially life-threatening illness.
Continued research is also focused on testing various antiviral drugs as effective treatments for SARS and on developing a preventative vaccine. CDC recommends that patients with SARS receive the same treatment that would be used for a patient with any serious community-acquired atypical pneumonia.
If transmission of SARS-CoV recurs, there are some common-sense precautions that you can take that apply to many infectious diseases. The most important is frequent hand washing with soap and water or use of an alcohol-based hand rub. You should also avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands and encourage people around you to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
CDC’s Response to the SARS 2003 Outbreak
CDC worked closely with WHO and other partners in a global effort to address the SARS outbreak of 2003. CDC took the following actions:
- Activated its Marcus Emergency Operations Center to provide round-the-clock coordination and response.
- Committed more than 800 medical experts and support staff to work on the SARS response.
- Deployed medical officers, epidemiologists, and other specialists to assist with on-site investigations around the world.
- Provided assistance to state and local health departments in investigating possible cases of SARS in the United States.
- Conducted extensive laboratory testing of clinical specimens from SARS patients to identify the cause of the disease.
- Initiated a system for distributing health alert notices to travelers who may have been exposed to cases of SARS.
You Can Help CDC Respond to Global Health Threats Like SARS
During the 2003 SARS outbreak, the CDC Foundation facilitated donations from corporate partners to help equip CDC’s Marcus Emergency Operations Center, which was activated on March 14, 2003 to track SARS and to coordinate CDC response teams deployed to regions affected by SARS. The CDC Foundation continues to support the Marcus Emergency Operations Center and to administer programs that focus on helping to reduce the threat of emerging infectious diseases like SARS. Learn more about the CDC Foundation’s global impact and how you can help.
Photo: Hong Kong residents line up to get free masks in a Hong Kong downtown street. - AP/Wide World Photos