SARS

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - SARS

During 2003, the communicable disease called SARS infected thousands of people worldwide, killed more than 770, and, according to ADB economic estimates, caused considerable economic losses, particularly in the Asia and Pacific region.

The outbreak had many negative social impacts, including the closure of schools and hospitals, underprovision of social services, and increases in unemployment and poverty.

Amid the challenges of the epidemic's adverse impacts, ADB took positive steps and supported initiatives to contain its further spread that threatened the region's rebound from the 2001 economic slowdown.

ADB prepared an Action Plan and initiated projects to assist its developing member countries to prevent and mitigate the consequences of SARS, including regional and country specific options.

ADB also established a SARS Watch^* web site to monitor trends of the SARS outbreak.

The SARS outbreak in 2003 revealed weaknesses in epidemiological surveillance and in the preparedness of the health care services to respond to SARS and other highly contagious diseases in several countries.

The lessons learned were of considerable value in formulating reactions to the growing threat of avian influenza a year later and in boosting response preparedness to infections diseases in the region

More information on these issues in Asia can be found at the World Health Organization^* web site.