If you think you have a patient with SARS, please call Orange County Epidemiology at (714) 834-8180.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a newly recognized viral illness that first appeared in mainland China in November 2002. From November 2002 through August 2003, there were 8,422 cases of SARS reported worldwide with 916 deaths (11%). In the United States, eight (8) SARS cases were confirmed through laboratory testing, 2 of whom were from California. There were no confirmed or probable SARS cases in Orange County.

Because of the possibility that SARS will return, health organizations worldwide and in the United States are working together to plan for rapid recognition of the illness and for an appropriate response to limit its spread.

For more information about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/clinicians.htm

Downloads for health care providers

The California Department of Health Services has produced a Question & Answer Document on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) for health care providers, which can be downloaded and viewed through the links below. Also provided are links to the CDC and World Health Organization SARS webpages.

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Internet Resources

• The Centers for Disease Control & Epidemiology SARS website
  www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/

• World Health Organization SARS website
  www.who.int/csr/sars/en/

If you think you have a patient with SARS, please call Orange County Epidemiology at (714) 834-8180.