U.S. health officials said Wednesday they are taking several steps to contain severe acute respiratory syndrome, including preparing for a larger outbreak in the country, as the World Health Organization said the disease could become much deadlier than previously thought.Although the death rate from SARS initially appeared to be as low as 4 percent of all people infected, a more detailed analysis of the latest data indicates it probably is much higher -- around 14 to 15 percent -- the WHO said in a written statement.
The fatality rate could reach 50 percent or more in elderly people, but remain close to 0 percent among the young and healthy. "Based on data received by WHO to date, the case fatality ratio is estimated to be less than 1 percent in persons aged 24 years or younger, 6 percent in persons aged 25 to 44 years, 15 percent in persons aged 45 to 64 years, and greater than 50 percent in persons aged 65 years and older," the international health agency said.
To date, SARS has infected 6,903 people and killed 495 in 29 countries. China, Hong Kong and Taiwan continue to struggle with the disease and all have reported new cases and deaths.
attribution: UPI
Posted by Tiger at May 8, 2003 07:58 PM | TrackBack