Severe acute respiratory syndrome: Clinical outcome after inpatient  outbreak of SARS in Singapore

doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7403.1394

BMJ 2003;326:1394 (21 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7403.1394

Letter

Severe acute respiratory syndrome

Clinical outcome after inpatient outbreak of SARS in Singapore

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—When an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) was first reported in Singapore, drastic measures weretaken, including the closure of schools and hospitals. Suchmeasures were deemed necessary as important epidemiologicaldata on transmission dynamics and infectivity rates of theSARS virus were largely unknown. Early reports indicated ahighly contagious infective agent,¹ and the number of exposedpatients who may potentially become affected could overwhelm the capacity of existing medical facilities.

Seventy patients and 131 healthcare workers on two surgicalwards were exposed to the virus after a sudden outbreak atthis hospital. They were quarantined and relocated to a SARSdesignated hospital for 21 days. They underwent triage andwere put into cohorts on three open plan wards, where facilitieswere shared. However, they were closely monitored and isolated immediately on manifestation of a raised temperature or symptomssuspicious of SARS. Strict infection control . . . [Full text of this article]

Yu-Meng Tan, associate consultant, Pierce KH Chow, consultant

Department of Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608

Khee-Chee Soo, clinical professor

admskc@nccs.com.sg Department of Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608

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