SARS
Prevention & Preparedness: Update July 25, 2003
SARS:
breaking the chains of transmission (WHO editorial)
Original documents from WHO &
CDC
WHO:
Coronavirus never before seen in humans is the cause of
SARS
Damai - a Time for Peace - Proposal
for a Public Awareness Campaign
SARS Prevention
& Preparedness: Update June 20, 2003
SARS Statistics
(WHO, June 19, 2003)
As of today, a cumulative
total of 8462 probable SARS cases with 804 deaths
has been reported from 29 countries.
This represents an increase of only 42 new cases compared
with June 4, more than 2 weeks ago
WHO estimates that the case
fatality ratio of SARS ranges from 0% to 50% depending on
the age group affected, with an overall estimate of mortality
between 14% to 15%. To date, 7178 people have recovered
from SARS, 480 people are still sick.
Overall Mortality to date is 10.07%.
(June 6: 11.84 - May 23: 13.74% - May 3: 13.87%).
Data on in-flight transmission updated
Complete data on seating information for all cases has
not been obtained. However, it is now known that, on one
flight, persons sitting seven rows in front and five row
behind a person with symptomatic SARS developed the disease.
WHO is aware of four flight attendants, of which two were
on the CA112 flight, who have become infected.
However, there is reason now to be optimistic that
SARS epidemics can be successfully stopped. Most countries
who reported cases never had local transmission of the disease,
and the situation in mainland China looks more and more
positive.
Combined with the extreme social pressure brought on by
the fear of SARS, China might have hit on a way to fight
the spread of the disease.
Bali, Indonesia (BaliSOS)
At the International Airport in Denpasar, a medical team
of ten doctors and eight nurses conduct around-the-clock
monitoring of incoming passengers, particularly focusing
on those who come from SARS affected countries.
The team is responsible for the early detection, physical
examination and identification of any passengers suspected
of being infected with SARS.
Some facts about SARS: The incubation period (time
span between getting infected with a disease and the beginning
of symptoms) for SARS lasts between 2 - 12 days.
There is no practical method available yet to detect a SARS
infection before symptoms start.
Only about 10% - 20% of SARS infected people develop sever
symptoms.
Many of these did previously not survive.
The majority of SARS infections cause only light flu-like
symptoms.
If these people do not see doctors and get isolated, they
may infect many other people in turn. Read
more here
There is reportedly no case of SARS infection on our
island yet.
But the impact of SARS on tourism is already very severe
and job threatening:
Airport arrivals in April 2003 dropped to 53.714 compared
to 72.263 in March 2003.
We should be well prepared for the worst: a cluster of SARS
cases without warning - any day!
One infected person only came to Toronto and infected about
300 people.
Bali does not have large supplies of face masks or ventilators.
Besides from BaliSOS translations, there are no reliable
direct translations from WHO or CDC to help professionals
and the public to get directly informed about the situation
as being constantly analyzed and reviewed by WHO and CDC.
It is well known that Indonesia is a poor country and the
public health system is extremly underfunded and always
short of money.
Consulting a doctor here can easily cost the better part
of an average monthly salary, the result being that the
common people consult doctors only if they are very sick.
Without money there is often no sufficient medical help
available here.
The Government of Indonesia and the provincial
Government of Bali are very focused on the problem of SARS
prevention and are constantly doing everything possible
to prevent the SARS virus from spreading into Indonesian
communities.
To our best knowledge and to date there
is no other humanitarian organization being actively engaged
in SARS prevention here on Bali or elsewhere in Indonesia.
We are stunned and unable to understand this complete ignorance!
But maybe they just need a few more weeks and some board
meetings before they are enabled to react to SARS.
BaliSOS is receiving logistic support from Indonesian
Hotel and Restaurant Association - Bali.
BaliSOS received a material donation from BIWA
(Bali International Women Foundation) worth about EURO 1,400.The
money was used to purchase 1000 medical gloves and 200 N95
face masks.
The face masks are still stored for emergency, about 800
gloves have been delivered to airport workers.
The Australian Red
Cross informed us on April 25, that they are evaluating
their possibilities to get involved with SARS Prevention
and Preparedness measures in Indonesia including Bali.
On April 30 we were told by Australian
Red Cross, that all the money raised during the "Bali
Appeal" after the bombing of Kuta, has already
been allocated and none of it was allocated for SARS relating
measures.
BaliSOS understands that out of a total amount of approximtely
Aus$ 14 million, which were donated following their "Bali
Appeal", no money at all has been allocated to
directly help the people on Bali or any non-australian bomb
victims.
The Indonesian
Red Cross - Bali offered logistic support and warehousing
of material if we had anything to store.
They would also help immediately if i.e. a mass quarantaine
needed to be implemented, or another disaster strucks Bali.
All their funds are already allocated for non-SARS matters.
BaliSOS has been supplying all airport workers on Bali
International Airport, who are in contact with arriving
travellers, with protective material like face masks, surgical
evaluation gloves and antiseptic soap on a regular base
since April 4, 2003 to date.
The other main activity of BaliSOS is currently to seek
support for our "Saatnya
Damai" campaign for public awareness, which focuses
on information how to reduce the risks of community spread
diseases and countermeasures panic reactions and fear.
Summary of current BaliSOS activities:
- Supply protective material like face masks, gloves
and antiseptic soap to airport workers and to health workers
at the airport.
- Supply information about SARS and community spread diseases
to airport workers and health workers.
- Translate WHO and CDC information directly to bahasa
Indonesia, publish on www.BaliSOS.com and make available
to Sanglah Hospital, Ministry of Health Indonesia, Dept.
of Health Bali, Airport workers and others.
- Collect information about current quarantaine conditions
here on Bali and seek solutions for improvement.
- Establish & maintain personal contacts with provincial
Bali government representatives, WHO, hospitals, airport
departments and local and international humaitarian and
Donor organizations.
- Seek logistic and financial support to help Bali and
Indonesia to prevent SARS best possible and be prepared
for outbreaks best possible.
Greetings
Made Sambu
(Harry Bleckert)
Coordinator Bali SOS Group
www.BaliSOS.com
Ph: +62 (361) 731-130
Hp: +62 (818) 357-726
Please contact
BaliSOS if you want to contribute with time or other recources!
Read more about
SARS!
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