SARS: Task 3 Community Health
Tasheema P Bullock
Western Governors University

SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, according to the cdc.gov website, is “a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)”. ("Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome", 2014) The outbreak occurred in Southern China that quickly spread to North America in 2003. The people that were found to have the disease, had recently traveled to southern China. People that are expected to have the disease have traveled to the region where the disease is present, come in contact with a person with the disease, and a positive chest x-ray. Signs and symptoms of the disease include flu like symptoms such as a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, malaise, a sore throat, cough, and body aches. Later on in the disease process, the person can develop shortness of breath and can develop pneumonia. Some people even develop diarrhea.
Epidemiology
* In mid November2002, the first official outbreak of pneumonia was reported in China * 305 people were infected and 5 people reported dying from the disease in Guangdong, China * 30% of those reported were healthcare workers * As of 2003. 8422 cases were reported. Of those cases 916 people died. This happened in 29 countries all together. The most prevalent countries were Canada, Vietnam, United Kingdom, Singapore, and different parts of China

Mode of Transmission Mode of transmission is person to person by way of air droplets (respiratory). This usually happens when a person sneezes or coughs. Coming in contact with an infected person is the most common way it is transmitted. This disease is believed to come from an exposed animal that was then eaten by a human.

Some people became positive (especially healthcare workers and then spread to 87% of patients who continued to spread it to different countries From 2002-2003, it had spread in China to Hong Kong, Singapore and Tawain. On November 27, 2002, the first outbreak was reported in China

It spread to Toronto, Canada and then spread to the United States. The people that contacted the diseased, had recently traveled to a country overseas stricken the disease

Map of Canada China Province Color Map
USA-Map
An outbreak in the community would definitely and probably be devastating. The community would probably not be prepared for the mortality and morbidity aspects of the disease. There would probably be some type of financial crisis such as the population not being able to work; therefore money could not be spent in the economy. Hospital bills will increase because of the supplies need to quarantine and handle the outbreak. Schools would also probably close to avoid spread of the disease. The proper protocol the community should follow to report an outbreak is to communicate to the CDC of the possible outbreak. There is no known vaccination available, so isolation of the disease and quarantine would be the next step in preventing spread. Those that work in the hospital should wear protective items, such as gloves, gowns, masks, and protective eyewear. The community must also survey the people that may have traveled out of the country. That means going into the airports and setting up surveillance. The community health nurse would care for the people with asthma and other respiratory diseases by reducing exposure to tobacco smoke, and watch exposure to cleaning materials in the home. The nurse would suggest changing air filters in the house and try to keep windows and doors shut. They could also suggest trying to avoid going outside or limit the exposure to the outside air.

References
Color Map of China Province. Maps, Photographs and Graphics, Free Maps, Free Photographs ... (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014.
Consensus Document on the Epidemiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. (2003). Retrieved August 28, 2014.
Map of Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014.
Pinsky, Michael R. and Trivedi, Manish N.Diseases & Conditions - Medscape Reference. (2003.). Retrieved August 28, 2014. USA-Map. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. (2014, May 19). Retrieved August 28, 2014.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2014. Wood, D. (2003). CDC Releases Draft Guidelines for Community Response to SARS. Retrieved August 29, 2014.