White Plains CitizeNetReporter - First SARS Case Reported in County

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LANCET. From Westchester County Department of Health. April 3, 2003: The Westchester County Department of Health today announced that a case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been identified in a 71 year-old woman who had recently traveled to Mainland China last month. She began developing fever, cough and muscle aches – symptoms that are consistent with SARS - on April 1. She sought medical treatment at a local hospital and is now recovering at home. The Health Department has conferred with CDC and the state Health Department, and all agree that this is consistent with a case of SARS. This is the first case of SARS to be reported in Westchester County.

SARS is a newly emerging respiratory illness characterized by sudden onset of high fever, difficulty breathing, and recent travel to Hong Kong; to all of mainland China; Singapore; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Toronto, or close contact with a person with SARS. An estimated 4% of people with SARS die. There is no effective medication to treat the disease. Over 1500 cases have been reported in several eastern countries and in Canada. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) is recommending that non-essential travel plans be rescheduled to countries experiencing SARS.

To date, 16 cases of SARS have been identified in New York State, of which seven are in New York City. The proximity of the suspect cases and the ability of a newly emerging disease from another part of the world to be on our doorstep within 24 hours lend a sense of urgency to preventive efforts.

Dr. Joshua Lipsman, Commissioner of Health for Westchester County, yesterday announced a Health Department directive which focuses on preventing the emergence of a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in Westchester. "The Westchester County Department of Health program to prevent SARS has three parts: education, monitoring, and control," stated Dr. Lipsman.

EDUCATION

Updated information about SARS and its prevention is being made available to the public through fact sheets and through the Health Department website, www.westchestergov.com/health. Up-to-the-minute information for physicians is provided through Public Health Updates that are being faxed as information becomes available to emergency room physicians, infection control nurses, laboratories, and large group physician practices. Through the Physician's Corner on the department's website, physicians can receive the latest updates on SARS and link to other national and state resources with information on the topic.

MONITORING

A new computerized system developed by the county health department specifically to respond to emerging public health threats receives and analyzes data from hospital emergency rooms on a daily basis and triggers alerts when unusual activity is identified. Health Department staff then follow up on any unusual findings. In addition, health department staff are in daily communication with hospital emergency room staff to assess the numbers of people seeking services for certain types of illnesses, including respiratory diseases.

CONTROL AND RESPONSE

The health department is not recommending any specific measures for the public at this time. Until an effective treatment is established for SARS, the control of SARS depends on traditional public health measures. Residents who are experiencing symptoms and have a travel history to countries reporting SARS should contact their physicians. Physicians should notify the Westchester County Department of Health regarding any patients whom they suspect of having SARS. Fit-tested respirators have been recommended by the State Health Department for emergency and health care workers who may come in contact with patients at risk for SARS.

For more information, visit the Health Department website at www.westchestergov.com/health or call the Health Department at (914) 813-5000.


Create an account		The White Plains Daily Internet Newspaper...Founded 2000 A.D....


			Designed and hosted by WestchesterInternet.com