No New SARS Deaths Reported for 1st Time in 2 Months

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14953-2003Jun4.html

By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 5, 2003; Page A23

For the first time in more than two months, no new deaths were reported yesterday from SARS, the latest indication that the epidemic is subsiding, the World Health Organization said.

The cumulative number of SARS cases worldwide hit 8,402 yesterday, an increase of 10 from the day before. But the number of deaths from severe acute respiratory syndrome was unchanged -- at 772.

"No new deaths were reported today," WHO said in a statement. "This marks the first day with no new SARS deaths since 28 March, when the cumulative totals stood at 1,485 cases and 53 deaths."

The number of daily deaths from SARS peaked during the second week of March, when as many as 20 fatalities were being reported on some days, WHO said.

"With outbreaks at all the initial 'hot zones' either contained or coming under control, SARS is clearly in decline, indicating that recommended control measures are effective when combined with political commitment and determination," the agency said.

But WHO warned against complacency, noting that Canada is fighting a resurgence of the disease and new outbreaks could occur anywhere at any time.

"The experience of Toronto, where more than 70 new cases have been reported since 26 May, underscores the risk of a resurgence of cases and the constant need for vigilance," the report said. "A single imported case can reignite an outbreak or bring cases to a new area, if preparedness measures are weak."

In fact, Germany yesterday reported a new case that involved a man who recently returned from Taiwan. The man has been hospitalized in isolation, and 50 people who had contact with him have been put into quarantine.

Vietnam, which was hit by one of the earliest outbreaks, has been free of new SARS cases since April 8, while the disease stopped spreading in Singapore on May 11, WHO reported.

"No new cases have since been detected in either country despite a high level of alert and aggressive investigation of all rumored cases," it said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday dropped its warning against unnecessary travel to Singapore and Hong Kong, although the agency is still advising those visiting Hong Kong to take precautions.

The lung infection is still spreading in China and Taiwan, but both have reported significant progress in recent days. For the first time since April, China reported no new cases or deaths yesterday.

Although WHO officials have voiced concern about whether China is fully reporting all cases, they said aggressive measures there did seem to be bringing the epidemic under control. SARS has hit China harder than any other country. The disease began in the southern province of Guangdong in November and has now infected at least 5,329 people and killed at least 334 in China.

© 2003 The Washington Post Company