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SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
Questions and answers about SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)

What is SARS?

SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. SARS is a pneumonia-like illness that is caused by a virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has alerted all countries to this new disease.

Currently there are no SARS affected areas. However SARS can return and continued vigilance is recommended.

How is SARS spread?

SARS can be spread by touching the skin of other people or objects that are contaminated with infectious droplets and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. This can happen when someone who is sick with SARS coughs or sneezes droplets onto themselves, other people or nearby surfaces. Regular handwashing is therefore an important way to prevent the spread of SARS.

SARS can also be spread when someone who is sick with SARS coughs or sneezes and another person breathes in the respiratory droplets in the air (eg, within a distance of about two metres).

Since SARS is spread in these ways, most cases of SARS have involved people who have cared for or lived with someone with SARS.

It takes 2-10 days from the time of infection until symptoms first appear. It is unlikely that a person will catch SARS from an infected person prior to the development of symptoms.

People are most infectious when they become visibly ill with SARS.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that SARS has been caught:

by contact with goods, products or animals shipped from SARS-affected areas

through air-conditioning systems

while a person is in transit at an airport in a SARS-affected country.

Which countries have had cases of SARS?

Most cases of SARS have been in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Toronto in Canada, Singapore and Vietnam.

The first New Zealand probable case was reported to the World Health Organization on 29 April 2003. There have been no other probable cases of SARS in New Zealand since.

What are the symptoms of SARS?

Illness from SARS usually begins with a fever greater than 38.0^oC (100.4^oF) After 2 to 7 days, SARS patients may develop a cough and have trouble breathing. Other symptoms may include headache, an overall feeling of discomfort, body aches and diarrhoea. A person is only likely to have SARS if they have:

close contact within the last 10 days with a person who has been diagnosed with SARS

travelled within the last 10 days to areas reporting cases of SARS.

What is the difference between SARS and other respiratory illnesses like the 'flu?

The symptoms of SARS are similar to the flu but are usually more severe. People with SARS usually have a high fever (greater than 38 C) and symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. The person must also have had contact with a person with SARS or have travelled in an affected area in the ten days prior to becoming unwell. Information to date suggests that ‘flu spreads much more easily than SARS.

Is there a vaccine available?

No, there is no vaccine for SARS. Even though the virus has been isolated it will probably take some years to produce a vaccine.

Is there any treatment available?

At this point in time, there are no specific treatments available. Antibiotics have not been effective in treating SARS since SARS is caused by a virus. Severe cases of SARS may need to be treated in intensive care units in hospitals, especially if they have difficulty breathing.

Should people still travel to the affected regions?

There are no affected regions.

What is being done to protect New Zealand from SARS?

The Ministry of Health is working with the overseas health agencies to obtain up-to-date information and new guidelines on SARS control. The Ministry is also working with other government agencies, airlines, airport authorities and ports to ensure the appropriate information is disseminated and protective measures are put in place. The influenza pandemic plan that the Ministry of Health prepared in 2006 has helped the health sector to respond appropriately to the threat of SARS.

What happens to people if they get SARS?

People with SARS have a high fever (greater than 38^oC) and respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Other less common symptoms include headache, muscular stiffness, loss of appetite, unexplained tiredness, confusion, rash and diarrhoea.

Many cases of SARS can be managed in the home setting and do not require hospital care. But SARS can also cause very serious illness - especially in older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions. The precise death rate among those with SARS is still unclear but may be 15% or higher.

What is the risk of catching SARS in the workplace?

There is no evidence to date of the spread of SARS in workplace settings – except for workers in hospitals. The spread of SARS in hospitals can be prevented now that health workers know about SARS and appropriate precautions have been put in place.

In all settings it is important that anyone who is sick stays at home and phones a doctor. Everyone should continue to follow basic hygiene such as regular handwashing.

Should students arriving in New Zealand from the affected countries see a doctor immediately to be checked for SARS?

There are no SARS affected regions. No cases of SARS have been identified since 2004.

What is the advice for people coming from affected areas?

There are no SARS affected regions

Should a person who runs a homestay for a student recently arrived from the most affected areas allow them into their house?

There are no SARS affected regions.