Severe acute respiratory syndrome: lessons from Singapore

Kamaljit Singh; Li-Yang Hsu; Jorge S Villacian; Abdulrazaq Habib; Dale Fisher; Paul A Tambyah

doi:10.3201/eid0910.030388

Severe acute respiratory syndrome: lessons from Singapore

Emerg Infect Dis. 2003 Oct;9(10):1294-8. doi: 10.3201/eid0910.030388.

Authors

Kamaljit Singh¹, Li-Yang Hsu, Jorge S Villacian, Abdulrazaq Habib, Dale Fisher, Paul A Tambyah

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074, Republic of Singapore. [email protected]

Abstract

An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in Singapore in March 2003. To illustrate the problems in diagnosing and containing SARS in the hospital, we describe a case series and highlight changes in triage and infection control practices that resulted. By implementing these changes, we have stopped the nosocomial transmission of the virus.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cross Infection / diagnosis
Cross Infection / epidemiology
Cross Infection / prevention & control
Cross Infection / transmission
Disease Outbreaks* / prevention & control
Female
Humans
Infection Control / methods
Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
Male
Middle Aged
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / diagnosis
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / epidemiology*
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / prevention & control
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / transmission
Singapore / epidemiology
Triage / methods