A brief overview...

What started off as possibly the Dreaded New Strain Of Influenza™ has turned out to be something different - now more likely to be a Coronavirus (related to the type which helps cause the common cold but in a mutated form that can evade the immune system of a large proportion of today's populations) and spreads by airborne droplets in a similar manner to the 'Flu. It is believed to have started in mainland Asia, with the first known cases and fatalities in China and Hong Kong. Now of course we've heard that China may have had several cases and deaths before the first news broke out of SARS, conveniently behind the carpet-bombing that was the Iraq Invasion media coverage. (But I digress.)

Now there was the recent news that the World Health Organization [Who? - everyone] has recommended that people avoid areas where SARS is particularly rampant: namely China's Guangdong province, Hong Kong, and, er, Toronto. Air travel has apparently spread the virus outside of Asia and to America, Europe and Australasia, resulting in isolated cases.

While airports are becoming more vigilant over passengers with the symptoms and signs (fever, headache, sore throat, cough, i.e. generally non-specific) there is always the possibility of hysteria over a new so-called "case of SARS who just returned from holiday". In any case, the British Department of Health has recommended that if you think you might have some of these symptoms and have just come from mainland Asia on holiday... see a doctor a.s.a.p. for early interventions if necessary.

But is it all a big panic over not very much? Commentators have compared this to the Spanish 'Flu of 1918 and to the current HIV epidemic. Certainly, people have died following the acquisition of this Syndrome. Personally, I am a little amused that this disorder after all this time hasn't been identified as a typical or an atypical bacterial pneumonia in the traditional sense, but I don't think it will affect me much, tbough I'm going to be a little cautious just in case.

Well, everyday for the past two or three weeks in Canada, the top story on the news has been about SARS. It's the paranoia surrounding the disease that's most disturbing.

CBC Indepth Backgrounder on SARS

Isn't the fatality rate for SARS actually lower than it is for even the most treatable forms of anthrax? I mean, aren't most of the SARS death among the elderly and those with immuno-deficincy(sp?)? You have a btter chance of getting sturkc by lightning then you do of dying of SARS.

There are several studies. One predicts about 6% fatalities, another between 8 and 15%.

Statistics from Hongkong now show a death rate of 20%. It looks very bad.

SARS updates:

Hong Kong now "declared SARS-free" by World Health Organization
Beijing gets the all-clear

Remember though, China new about it and didn't cooperate with the world in halting its advance (at first), so the cases in China should not be a major deciding factor on fatality rates, (since most of the world is executing a more aggresive screening.

Also...

This next comment might go elsewhere, but how long is it going to be before lawsuits start cropping up in the U.S. and Canada/Britain?
Examples:
1. People suing because of quarantine procedures.
2. Airlines being sued because they didn't screen better.
3. Hospitals and Insurance companies getting involved.

Sorry kerriem but this will be political. (Incase you think that is more than just a polite nod to the fact that this is not PM, that's a polite nod to the fact this is not PM.)

It will also be funny in a sarcastic way.

I heard that SARS is proof that a big government is needed to deal with intermitent health threats like SARS.

I agree. (sarcasm on) A big government like the Peoples Republic of China was so adept with SARS.

I'm not saying Canada is a libertarian paradise, but I'd move to Toronto before Beijing.