U.S. assists Canada in tackling SARS epidemic

Many Hong Kong schools that had been shut down recently due to the epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) were reopened on Tuesday. Meanwhile, scientists throughout North America are doing everything they can to prevent widespread outbreaks on their continent.

Dr. Paul Gully, a Canadian Health Ministry official, said that scientists wanted to "assure Canadians that the necessary public health infection control measures" were in place. He added that officials are continually monitoring the cautionary measures to ensure that they remain effective.

SARS is a coronavirus from the same virus family that causes the common cold. It is spread from person to person through infected droplets (like those dispersed from coughing or sneezing). Symptoms of the disease can include fever, headache, and body aches. Some SARS patients may develop a dry cough and have trouble breathing after two to seven days.

RESOURCES • CNN.com: Special Report: SARS on the move  • CNN.com: Canadian SARS death toll rises  • Interactive: How it spreads   • CNN.com: Frequently Asked Questions  • CNN.com: Country breakdown: Probable cases of SARS  • American Museum of Natural History: Epidemic!  • Centers for Disease Control  • World Health Organization  SARS FACTS Suspect case: A person who develops high fever (greater than 38 C / 100.4 F) and respiratory symptoms such as cough, breathing difficulty or shortness of breath, within 10 days of 1) having had close contact with a person who is a suspect or probable case of SARS. or 2) having traveled to or resided in an affected area. Probable case:   A suspect case with chest X-ray findings of pneumonia or respiratory distress syndrome.

There are currently almost 4,000 probable cases of the disease worldwide.

Canada's SARS outbreak is the largest outside of Asia. On Tuesday, the World Health Organization confirmed that 139 probable cases of SARS and more than a dozen SARS-related deaths had occurred in the country.

The U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is assisting Canada by sending a crew of epidemiologists across the border. Epidemiologists specialize in the branch of medicine that studies disease outbreaks.

There have been fewer than 40 cases of SARS in the U.S., and no one in the country has died from the disease. CNN's Deanna Morawski reported that this was because the American public health system - which has been on guard against biological and chemical terrorist attacks - is in a better position than most other countries to stem the spread of disease.

Despite the lower number of SARS instances in the U.S., CDC officials say Americans still need to be cautious. "The last thing that we can do at this point in time is relax" and take our situation for granted, said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the CDC. She added that U.S. officials should learn from what scientists are observing in other countries.

Though an official warning is currently in place for Americans planning to travel to China and Hong Kong, no such measure has been issued for U.S. travelers to Canada. However, the CDC does plan to warn travelers not to visit hospitals or other healthcare centers in Canada where SARS could be caught.