Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
The following updated advice was issued on 23rd July 2003:
Travel restrictions to and from areas affected by SARS have now been lifted by WHO and by the UK Government.
In line with these decisions, new students beginning their programmes of study in Newcastle in September and current students returning from the summer vacation should, provided that they are not unwell and not showing any symptoms of SARS, plan to arrive in Newcastle in the usual way and at the usual time.
We continue to ask all staff and students returning from an area previously affected by SARS to be vigilant and to self-monitor their health in accordance with our existing guidelines, which are set out below:
Key Points:
- Be aware of the symptoms of SARS
- Contact your GP by telephone immediately if you have these symptoms and you have been to one of the countries listed in the previous 10 days.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SARS
Q What is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)?
A SARS is the term being used to describe a serious respiratory illness
which has been reported occurring in Hong Kong and parts of East and South-East
Asia and in Toronto, Canada. The following areas have reported illness:
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- China (Beijing; Guangdong Province; Shanxi; Hebei; Inner Mongolia; Jilin and Tianjin)
- Canada (Toronto)
- Vietnam (Hanoi)
- Singapore
- Taiwan
Q What are the symptoms of SARS?
A The main symptoms of SARS are high fever (>38°C), dry cough,
shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
Q How infectious is SARS?
A SARS does transmit from person to person, though it appears to require
close contact with an affected case, eg family members living in the same household
or hospital workers caring for SARS patients.
Q Who is most at risk?
A Anyone who has travelled from the areas listed above recently who develops
these symptoms.
Q What is the incubation period?
A The incubation period is short, probably from 3 - 6 days, though perhaps
as long as 10.
Q What is the cause of SARS?
A SARS is probably caused by a virus, though its specific identity is
not known.
Q What treatment is available for SARS?
A Anti-viral drugs, or other antibiotics, have limited use. Severe cases
will require hospital admission.
Q What can I do to protect myself?
A You are strongly advised to follow the travel advice issued by WHO
and the Department of Health. See http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/
for further information, updated regularly. If you are in a household with someone
who is diagnosed as having SARS you will be advised about appropriate monitoring.
If you have, or subsequently discover, that you have been in contact with a
case of SARS, or become part of a monitoring programme you have a duty to let
your GP know by telephone immediately and simultaneously the Academic Registrar
of the University (Paul Mitchell Tel: 0191 222 8670) to ensure that appropriate
support is provided and appropriate arrangements made for activities such as
examinations.
Q Is there a vaccine for SARS?
A No vaccine is available
Q Are there any cases of SARS locally?
A So far a small number of cases of possible SARS have been identified in England
and treated. There has been no transmission to others. If you want to know the
latest number of cases reported in the UK, please refer to the website. http://www.phls.co.uk/topics_az/sars/menu.htm
Q What should I do if I have recently returned from a SARS affected area
and feel unwell?
A If you have just returned from a SARS affected area, as a precaution you should
self-monitor your health on your return for a period of 10 days. If you show
the symptoms listed above, contact your GP by telephone immediately, and inform
the University's Academic Registrar (Paul Mitchell Tel: 0191 222 8670).
Paul Mitchell
Academic Registrar
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
This advice has been prepared jointly by:
University of Newcastle upon Tyne and The Health Protection Agency (North of
Tyne Communicable Disease Control Unit).
23rd July 2003