Two basic questions [1] on the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS):
Q : What are the symptoms of SARS ?
A : The main symptoms of SARS are high fever (> 38° Celsius), dry cough, shortness of breath or breathing difficulties. Changes in chest X-rays indicative of pneumonia also occur. SARS may be associated with other symptoms, including headache, muscular stiffness, loss of appetite, malaise, confusion, rash and diarrhoea.
Q : How contagious is SARS ?
A : Based on currently available evidence, close contact with an infected person is needed for the infective agent to spread from one person to another. Contact with aerosolized (exhaled) droplets and bodily secretions from an infected person appears to be important. To date, the majority of cases have occurred in hospital workers who have cared for SARS patients and the close family members of these patients. However, the amount of the infective agent needed to cause an infection has not yet been determined.
Information for Swiss residents is also available through the BAG [2].
[1] http://www.who.int/csr/sars/sarsfaq/en/
[2] http://www.bag.admin.ch/infekt/d/sars.htm
