A Presentation on SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

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A Presentation on SARS(Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome)

• May 1st, 2003
• Society of Hong Kong and Chinese Affairs
• Prepared by Hilary Ong

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Worldwide, 29 countries have reported 5,663 SARS
cases, including 372 deaths, a death rate of 6.6
percent.
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SARS was able to infect so many in such a sort
period of time..
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Accumulative Number of Reported Probable Cases
Data from World Health Organization as of
April 30
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Tracking the spreading
Dec chef from Heyuan, Guanzhou
Jan outbreaks in Shunde, Heyuan and Zhongshan
Feb 2 super-spreader (SARS patient who is
highly infectious), man from Zhongshan infected
doctors and nurses at Zhongshan No.2 hospital
Feb 21 Dr.Liu, lung specialist from Zhongshan
hospital went to Hong Kong, infecting guests at
Metropole Hotel, including 2 Canadians, an
American business man en route to Hanoi, a Hong
Kong man, 3 women from Singapore
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Tracking the spreading..

• woman from Toronto died in a Toronto Hospital,
  where she had infected her son and hosptial
  workers
  
• the American businessman, fell ill at a hospital
  in Hanoi, infecting health workers including Dr.
  Carlo Urbani, an Italian medical researcher who
  alerted the W.H.O of the spread of a new type of
  pneumonia
• Hong Kong resident was admitted to Prince of
  Wales Hospital, setting out a huge outbreak
  
• 3 Singaporean women was admitted to three
  different hospitals. Esther Mok, one of the
  victims is identified to be the other
  super-spreader
• March 14 W.H.O fomrally issued its worldwide
  alert about the new disease, named SARS
  

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Origins of SARS
Scientists suspect its origins in food trade
In southern China, where animals and people crowd
together as ideal breeding grounds for new
viruses Earliest victims were not farmers, but fo
od handlers and chefs.
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What causes SARS?
A novel coronavirus from animals might be the
cause of SARS

Cause You come in contact with an infected perso
n You viral particle attaches to cells lining you
r sinuses The virus attacks the cells in your sin
uses The host cell breaks and the virus spreads i
nto your bloodstream and lungs
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One question still open is whether this
coronavirus is truly the only virus needed to
create the disease's most acute symptoms in
humans? Only minute amounts of coronavirus wer
e detected in about half the cases of SARS
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Symptoms and Illness
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• Chest X-rays maybe normal early on, but may
  develop patchy , interstitial infiltrate
  
• Lymphocyte count decreases early on, but is
  generally normal
  
• Low-normal platelet counts

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Treatment?
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Whats a good mask?
Paper/cloth masks HK1-2 ( not recommended) too
thin 2-ply masks HK 5-8 (OK) N95 masks HK 1
0 (recommended)
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Fashion Statement?
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Situation in Hong Kong?
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Situation in Beijing

• Wang Qishan, the new acting mayor of Beijing
  called the SARS epidemic severe and uncontrolled
  yesterday, April 30th
  
• the reported number of confirmed SARS cases in
  Beijing went from below 350 10 days ago to 1,440
  (as of April 30th)
  
• About 9,000 city residents have been put in
  isolation because of possible exposure to the
  infection
  
• All schools are closed
• May 1st Chinas Labor Day holiday, usually a 7
  day holiday has been cut to 5 days
  
• city authorities have sought to deter the
  movement of people out of Beijing, first
  discouraging and now formally barring university
  students and migrant workers from traveling
  home.
• Military doctors will run a newly constructed,
  1,000-bed hospital for SARS patients in a
  northern suburb
  
• officials are distributing thermometers to every
  household and teaching people how to use them
  

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Its effects
The outbreak of a new respiratory disease has
inflicted the greatest blow to the Chinese
economy since the Tiananmen Square killings in
1989, causing a plunge in retail sales, a slump
in demand for some Chinese exports and a
near-collapse in domestic and foreign tourism.
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Comments..
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Associated Press photo
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