Today's update on SARS:
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Update: Wednesday, April 9, 2003
Craig Sterritt, Editor, Medscape Infectious Diseases
Today's Leading News
New Cases, Deaths Continue in Hong Kong, Canada, and China. 3 Diagnostic Tests Now Available
Despite reports that severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) may be slowing in China and elsewhere, new cases and deaths continue to be reported. Hong Kong?s new SARS case rate remains steady, with 45 new cases being reported on Tuesday, April 8. Two new deaths were also reported. Nine new SARS cases and 1 new death were reported in Canada. And on April 7, amid reports that the spread of SARS was slowing in China, Chinese health officials reported 43 SARS deaths in Guangdong Province, as well as fatalities in Beijing, Guangxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, and Hunan Provinces.
As of April 8, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports a cumulative total of 2,671 cases of SARS, with 103 deaths in 19 countries. This represents an increase of 70 cases and 5 deaths since April 7.
As of April 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting a total of 148 suspected U.S. cases in 30 states, up from 115 cases on April 6. As of April 8, Health Canada is reporting a total of 226 probable or suspected SARS cases and 10 deaths, up from 217 and 9 on April 7. As of April 8, the Hong Kong Department of Health is reporting a cumulative total of 928 cases, 25 deaths, and 138 discharges. As of April 7, the Chinese Ministry of Health is reporting a cumulative total of 1,279 SARS cases and 53 deaths.
Two antibody tests and 1 molecular test (and polymerase chain reaction [PCR] primers) are now available to help identify patients with SARS. An ELISA test and immunofluoresence assay (IFA) can both detect antibodies that have been found in many SARS patients. However, antibodies are detected in SARS patients after a minimum of 10 days of onset of the disease. PCR-based tests can quickly detect genetic material of coronavirus in various specimens (blood, stool, or respiratory secretions), and several primers for coronavirus genetic material have been developed. Laboratories in the WHO multicenter collaborative network on SARS are currently comparing these tests, and the first results should be forthcoming shortly.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/452093
...As far as the ER...I don't always have to see what's going on...or hang around...Thank goodness...for instance on Thursday...a patient had slit their throat...attempted suicide...I had to poke my head in long enough to say something...but made a very quick retreat...We had to fly them out by helicopter to our sister hospital...which is more qualified for such care...Taking the rest of this to PM...We're getting way off topic again... 
