What is SARS, and what are its symptoms?
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory illness that has recently been reported in Asia, North America, and Europe. The illness usually begins with a fever (measured temperature greater than 100.4°F or 38.0°C). The fever is sometimes associated with chills or other symptoms, including headache, a general feeling of discomfort, and body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms at the outset. After two to seven days, SARS patients may develop a dry, nonproductive cough that might be accompanied by or progress to the point where insufficient oxygen is getting to the blood. For more on the disease, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s SARS Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/ or the World Health Organization s SARS Web site at http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/. Both Web sites are updated daily.
