SARS Outbreak and the Role of Technology in Global Health

The 2002–2003 SARS Outbreak: Overview and Impact

SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, is a viral disease in humans. Between November 2002 and July 2003, an outbreak of this disease originating in Hong Kong became a global concern and nearly a pandemic. There were almost 10,000 cases and 775 deaths, representing a 9.6% fatality ratio. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it one of the worst disasters of the 21st century, as the disease spread to 37 countries within weeks. The most vulnerable populations were those over 65, and it was that age group that suffered the most deaths (Smith, 2006).

SARS cannot be treated with antibiotics, since it is a viral disease. No evidence has been found that antivirals, steroids, or other standard viral treatments were effective. Currently, there is no cure or protective vaccine for SARS (Stockman et al., 2006).

Early Detection Through Internet Surveillance Networks

While the Chinese government remained largely silent until February 2003, the Western world received information about a serious "flu" epidemic through the Global Public Health Intelligence Network and WHO's Global Outbreak and Alert Response Network. These two organizations monitor Internet traffic for keywords related to potential plagues and disease vectors, and had recently upgraded their systems to include translations in Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian, French, and Spanish.

The Internet thereby provided the first genuine reports of unusual outbreaks. Even so, the first official English-language report was not generated until January 21, 2003 (Heyman, 2004). This timeline underscores how digital surveillance networks outpaced formal governmental disclosure in identifying the emerging threat.

Technology as a Force for Governmental Transparency

Many experts credit enhanced communications technology as the primary reason China was ultimately compelled to acknowledge the problem and allow United Nations officials access to its data. Global cell phones and satellite transmissions make it far easier for doctors, medical professionals, and even members of the media to transmit information from remote and less-populated regions. The power of the Internet lies also in its capacity to upload data for analysis, thereby creating a partnership between global disease specialists and local medical personnel.

WHO was then able to issue emergency travel advisories, global alerts, and guidance that helped medical personnel in other countries more quickly identify the possible strain and take adequate precautions (WHO Issues Global Alert, 2003). Technology, in this sense, functioned not merely as a communication tool but as an instrument of accountability.

References

Eysenbach, G. (2003). SARS and population health technologies. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 5(2): e14.

Heyman, D. (2004). Global surveillance, national surveillance and SARS. Medscape Today.

Hsieh, Y. (2003, August). SARS and the Internet. New England Journal of Medicine, 349(8), 711–712.

Smith, R. (2006). Responding to global infectious disease outbreaks: Lessons from SARS. Social Science and Medicine, 63(12), 3113–3123.

Stockman, L., et al. (2006). SARS: Systematic review of treatment effects. PLoS Medicine, 3(9): e343–e345.

WHO issues global alert about cases of atypical pneumonia. (2003). World Health Organization.