Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) – Multi-country outbreak – Update 44

Situation in China, revised case definition, support to national labs Situation in China The number of new SARS cases continues to increase steadily in China, particularly in Beijing. Today, China reported 187 new cases and 11 deaths, more than half of which were in the capital.

Situation in China, revised case definition, support to national labsSituation in China The number of new SARS cases continues to increase steadily in China, particularly in Beijing. Today, China reported 187 new cases and 11 deaths, more than half of which were in the capital.WHO officials in China believe the development of a central database of operational SARS data would greatly aid in combating the disease. The next few months will prove crucial in the attempt to contain SARS worldwide, which now greatly depends on whether the disease can be controlled in China.WHO is studying how best to support hospitals in some of China’s poorer western and northern provinces. Concern continues that hospitals in these resource-poor regions may not have the necessary facilities to properly isolate and treat SARS patients. More front-line hospital staff with expertise in dealing with infectious diseases may be required. Guidelines are also needed for China’s national health care system on the kinds of infection control measures needed to prevent continuing transmission of the disease.Shanghai is to enforce stricter SARS preventive measures, including the enforcement of 14-day quarantine periods for travelers arriving from affected areas. Traffic checkpoints have already been set up to screen people coming into the city, where they are given temperature checks and asked to fill out health declaration forms.(Source: WHO, May 1 2003)