Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Beijing, 2003

• Main Authors: Wannian Liang, Zonghan Zhu, Jiyong Guo, Zejun Liu, Xiong He, Weigong Zhou, Daniel P. Chin, Anne Schuchat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004-01-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: China; disease outbreaks; disease transmission; epidemiology; nosocomial infection; SARS virus
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/10/1/03-0553_article

The largest outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) struck Beijing in spring 2003. Multiple importations of SARS to Beijing initiated transmission in several healthcare facilities. Beijing’s outbreak began March 5; by late April, daily hospital admissions for SARS exceeded 100 for several days; 2,521 cases of probable SARS occurred. Attack rates were highest in those 20–39 years of age; 1% of cases occurred in children <10 years. The case-fatality rate was highest among patients >65 years (27.7% vs. 4.8% for those 20–64 years, p < 0.001). Healthcare workers accounted for 16% of probable cases. The proportion of case-patients without known contact to a SARS patient increased significantly in May. Implementation of early detection, isolation, contact tracing, quarantine, triage of case-patients to designated SARS hospitals, and community mobilization ended the outbreak.