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The WHO response to the challenges of SARS in the Western Pacific Region
The world has learned a new word - SARS, for severe acute respiratory syndrome. The first severe and readily transmissible disease of the 21st century is believed to have originated in southern China in the closing weeks of 2002. From there it crossed into Hong Kong (China) in February 2003. By just a few days later it had leaped to Viet Nam, Singapore, Canada and Germany, and then beyond.
From November 2002 to July 2003, a cumulative total of more than 8098 probable SARS cases with more than 774 deaths were reported in 26 countries - the vast majority of them in the Western Pacific.
Cumulative probable cases in the Western Pacific
Region of WHO (November 2002 to July 2003)
Click map to see larger image
In response to this threat, WHO's Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila gave itself four principal objectives:
- To contain and control the outbreaks
- To support the health-care infrastructure in affected countries
- To help vulnerable countries prepare for the possible arrival of the virus
- To provide the latest information to health officials and address public concerns.
By early July, when WHO declared that human-to-human transmission of the virus had been broken, those objectives had been met. This is how it was done. (read more)
Website last updated 4 January 2005
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