Severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS, is a severe form of pneumonia or infection of the lungs which appeared recently in South East Asia. In mid-March I established an expert group to monitor the situation as it developed and to advise me of the measures required to deal with this syndrome. This group meets regularly and continues to monitor the situation.
The National Disease Surveillance Centre, NDSC, and my Department have developed guidance for hospitals and health professionals which describes the syndrome and provided advice on how suspect cases should be managed. To date, two probable cases of SARS in persons who have recently returned on flights from South East Asia and who have shown symptoms similar to those of the disease are being investigated.
The symptoms of SARS are a temperature of over 38ºC, "flu-like" symptoms and a cough. This is relevant only to people who have been in the affected areas. The advice to the general public remains as before: people travelling to affected areas in Singapore, Hanoi, Toronto and parts of China – i.e., Beijing, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Shanxi and Taiwan Province – should be aware of the symptoms and seek medical advice should they become unwell during their trip or within 10 days of leaving the area.
With effect from Friday 28 March, individuals are advised not to undertake non-essential or elective travel to the SARS-affected areas. This advice follows the serious health threat identified by authorities in areas affected by SARS and the stringent disease control measures now being employed as a result.
In addition, the Infectious Disease Regulations 1981 have been amended in order to designate SARS as a notifiable infectious disease.
At one stage, Cherry Orchard had 231 beds for infectious diseases and had become by custom and practice a hospital where people with infectious diseases were accommodated. However, over the past 15 years the majority of its work has concerned other patient services.
