SARS Outbreak, Taiwan, 2003

• DOI: 10.3201/eid1002.030515
• Publication Date: 2012-05-14T14:46:16Z
• Authors: Ying-Hen Hsieh; Cathy W.S. Chen; Sze-Bi Hsu
• Keywords: Isolation

Abstract We studied the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Taiwan, using daily case-reporting data from May 5 to June 4 learn how it had spread so rapidly. Our results indicate that most SARS-infected persons symptoms and were admitted before their infections reclassified as probable cases. This finding could efficient admission, slow reclassification process, or both. The high percentage of nosocomial Taiwan suggests infection hospitalized patients with suspected, but not yet classified, cases is a major factor disease. Delays also contributed problem. Because accurate diagnostic testing for SARS currently lacking, intervention measures aimed at more diagnosis, isolation suspected patients, procedures greatly reduce number future outbreaks.