Definitions
SARS: Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory
illness that has been reported in Asia, North
America, and Europe.
Isolation: People
are placed under isolation when they have been
exposed to SARS and have become ill. Isolation
separates them from healthy people and restricts
their movement to stop the spread of that illness.
People in isolation may be cared for in their
homes, in hospitals, or at designated health
care facilities. The isolation period for SARS
is 10 days after the last measured temperature
greater than 100.4o F, along with improving
respiratory symptoms.
Quarantine: Quarantine
applies to people who have been exposed to
a communicable disease but do not have any
symptoms of illness. People who are potentially
exposed but not sick may be placed under quarantine;
that is, their health status must be monitored
and their movement may be restricted to minimize
the spread of the illness and to facilitate
monitoring their health status. The quarantine
period for SARS is 10 days after the last exposure
to a known, suspected or probable case of the
illness.
Index
Case: The index case is
the first known case in a potential outbreak.
Probable
Case: Meets the clinical
criteria for severe respiratory illness
(such as pneumonia) of unknown origin and
has either traveled within 10 days of onset
of symptoms to an area with documented
SARS or has been in close contact within
10 days of onset of symptoms with a person
known or suspected to have SARS.
Suspect
Case: Meets the clinical
criteria for moderate respiratory illness
(such as flu-like symptoms) of unknown
origin, and has either traveled within
10 days of onset of symptoms to an area
with documented SARS or has been in close
contact within 10 days of onset of symptoms
with a person known or suspected to have
SARS.
Special
Interest Case: A term used
by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention) to describe persons who
exhibit some symptoms of the disease that
warrant further investigation and diagnostic
testing.
SARS
Timeline for North Carolina
March
19, 2003: Two
possible SARS cases reported in N.C., one
in Wake County and one in Orange County.
Both cases subsequently tested negative.
April
1, 2003: Third
and fourth cases of suspected SARS reported,
(one in Wake County and one in Mecklenburg
County). Both cases subsequently tested negative.
April
8, 2003: Fifth
case of suspected SARS reported (Iredell
County). Case subsequently tested negative.
April
9, 2003: Sixth
suspected SARS case reported (Wake County).
Case subsequently tested negative.
April
21, 2003: Seventh suspected
SARS case reported (Wake County). Case
subsequently tested negative.
April
28, 2003: Eighth
suspected SARS case (Wake County). Case tested
negative.
June
3, 2003: North Carolina
reported its ninth case of suspected SARS,
an Orange County man, to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He
was reported as probable on June 6, 2003,
and then as a confirmed case of SARS on
June 9, 2003, when CDC laboratory tests
were positive.
June
10, 2003: Investigation
begins on two “special interest” cases:
an Orange County man seen as an outpatient
at Duke University Medical Center, and
a Wake County man at Western Wake. The
Duke patient was cleared of SARS on June
13, the same day as the Western Wake patient
died. Investigation of the Western Wake
case continues.
Symptoms:
What to look for if you suspect you may have
SARS
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
have defined a suspect case of SARS as a person
who is experiencing respiratory illness of
unknown origin with onset since February 1,
2003, and who meets the following criteria:
- Measured
temperature of 100.4°F or over (>38° C)
AND
- One
or more clinical findings of respiratory
illness (e.g. cough, shortness of breath,
difficulty breathing, hypoxia [low blood
or tissue oxygen levels], or radiographic
findings of either pneumonia or acute respiratory
distress syndrome) AND
- Travel
within 10 days of onset of symptoms to an
area with documented or suspected community
transmission of SARS OR
- Close
contact within 10 days of onset of symptoms
with either a person with a respiratory illness
who traveled to a SARS area or a person known
to be a suspect SARS case. (Close contact
is defined as having cared for, having lived
with, or having direct contact with respiratory
secretions and/or body fluids of a patient
known to be suspect SARS case.)
Quarantine/Isolation
Updates:
The
index case was out of isolation as of Saturday,
June 14.
The
index cases’ family was out of quarantine as
of June 14. All exposed healthcare workers
were past the monitoring period on June 14,
and none had developed symptoms.
SARS
was ruled out in the case of the Duke University
Medical Center patient on Friday, June 13.
The isolation orders was terminated.
The
only remaining persons in quarantine are related
to the Wake County case and are as follows:
- 31
hospital employees (including 4 furloughed)
- 5
staff from Urgent Care
- 1
patient from Urgent Care waiting room
- 2
EMS staff
(Total
39 persons. All quarantine orders expire June
20.)
For
more information:
- Visit
the CDC
website
- Concerned
citizens can call the NC CARE-LINE information
and referral: 1-800-662-7030
- Orange
county residents can call the Orange County
Health Department: 919-245-2400
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