Health Monitor Medical Centre

SARS - Severe Adult Respiratory Syndrome

Patients presents with fever (>38deg), dry cough, shortness of breath, and may later develop into atypical pneumonia and ARDS.  The recovery rate is 95% at best if treated early in a hospital, or a lot worse without.

The experts believe it maybe caused by a paramyxovirus at the beginning, and they think it might be more likely be a coronavirus, like the common cold.

The mode of spread is via droplets, fomites, or even air-bourn.

The incubation period is somewhere from 2-10 days, and there is no cure and no vaccine to this virus.

As the epidemiology of this disease evolves, we'll know more about it.  Be prepared to be infected, as that is most likely to happen.  It has been growing exponentially since we have data dating back to 17th March, 2003.  It has been doubling every 7 days and it is accelerating as we speak.

Prevention:

• Wear masks helps
• Wear gloves
• avoid close contact with sick patients
• don't rub your nose, eyes, mouth
• keep healthy, eat well, and exercise
• plenty of vitamin C
• our herbalist has some herbal immunity booster if you require.
• come to see doctor ASAP for diagnosis

written on 1st April, 2003.