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by Kevin Miller
By now, nearly everyone has heard of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). If you’ve watched all-news channels like CNN or Fox News over the past month with their alternating images of people hurrying through airports wearing surgical masks and bombs exploding over Baghdad, you’d think there were only two news stories worth reporting: the growing body counts created by SARS and the Iraq war.
However, as many critics have pointed out, such focused attention on SARS has done more to alarm people than inform them about the disease. Thus, although everyone has heard of SARS and its rapid spread around the globe, few understand what SARS is, how it is spread, and the magnitude of the threat it poses to the world. In addition, this constant focus on disease and war has created a sense of fear that is causing many people to wonder if the end of the world had finally arrived.
The Straight Goods on SARSLack of solid information about SARS has added greatly to people’s fear of the disease. When the first cases of SARS were reported back in mid-March, not only were scientists unsure where SARS came from, they also knew very little about what caused it, how it was spread or what differentiated those who are able to resist the disease from those who succumbed to it. This sent many people into a panic, such that surgical masks - thought to help prevent the spread of SARS - were quickly out of stock in Asia and other places where SARS has been most prevalent.
But over the past month, scientists from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other health organizations have been quite successful at filling in the blanks. Here is a brief summary of what has been discovered so far.
Where did SARS Come From?
Scientists suspect that SARS originated in China’s Guangdong province, where the highest concentration of SARS cases continues to occur. However, efforts are still underway to determine whether the outbreak of atypical pneumonia that began there in November 2002 is linked to other cases of SARS worldwide. The first widely reported case of SARS involved the death of an American businessman who died March 16 after traveling to China and Vietnam.
What Causes SARS?
On April 16, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that SARS is caused by a new virus, called a “coronavirus,” previously not found in humans. Scientists at the University of Hong Kong are seeking to determine whether this virus is a mutated form of a similar virus found amongst poultry and swine.
How Many People Have Been Affected?
According to WHO, as of April 17, 2003, 3,389 cases of SARS have been reported worldwide. Approximately five per cent of those cases have been fatal, with 165 people succumbing to the disease. This death rate is higher than that of most other influenza-like diseases but still well below that of other recent epidemics, such as the flu pandemic that killed an estimated 40 million people in 1918. In Canada, 126 cases of SARS have been reported, twelve of which have proved fatal.
What are the Symptoms of SARS?
SARS usually begins with a high fever (over 38 degrees Celsius/100.4 degrees Fahrenheit), headache, body aches and sore throat. Other symptoms include a loss of appetite, rash and diarrhea. Respiratory symptoms, such as a dry cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing, appear two to seven days after exposure. Anyone experiencing a combination of these symptoms and who has also travelled to a high-risk area or been in contact with a SARS victim is advised to see their doctor immediately.
How Does SARS Spread?
SARS appears to spread primarily through close person-to-person contact. Most cases of SARS have involved health care workers, family members and anyone else in close proximity with a SARS victim. According to Dr. Colin D’Cunha, Ontario’s Public Health Commissioner, for members of the general public, the risk of catching SARS appears to be very slim. There is no evidence that SARS spreads through casual contact, such as being on the same airplane with someone who has SARS.
How can you Protect Yourself From SARS?
Health professionals advise that people take the same precautions against SARS as they would against any other flu-like disease, such as washing their hands frequently and avoiding close contact with infected persons. The Canadian government has also advised that people avoid traveling to areas where the disease is most prevalent, such as China, Hong Kong, and Hanoi, Vietnam. For current travel warnings, please visit Health Canada's web site.
Can SARS be Cured?
Although scientists have made many advances in finding a cure for SARS, such as identifying the virus that causes the disease and then mapping its genome, so far they have been unable to find a drug that will cure it. Research into various potential cures is ongoing.
Some Christians interpret diseases such as SARS as a judgement from God against the sinfulness of the world. Others see them as attacks from Satan. Still others regard SARS and other diseases as the natural consequences of living in a fallen world.
Whatever the true cause of SARS, we do know one thing: No matter how deadly the disease is or how far it spreads, God is still in control, and his will, will prevail.
Where is God in all of this? He’s right where he always is: living in the hearts of every believer. As Christians, we have no reason to give in to the fear and gloom that the rest of the world feels when confronted with such epidemics, because we know the one who conquered disease, sin and death on the cross: Jesus Christ.
Thus, rather than cower in fear, secretly celebrate the imminent demise of the world, or sit in smug judgement on the world’s sins, it is our duty to be agents of grace, love and hope to those who do not share the same assurance in God that we have. In the face of a threat such as SARS, it is always wise to take precautions. But we should never respond in fear.
As Hebrews 10:39 says:
“We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”
Threats like SARS will come and go, but none of this ever happens outside of God’s knowledge or power. Thus, we can be free to share our hope with others, knowing that whether we succumb to SARS or not,
“To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
**A note from the producer of Retirement With a Purpose:
If, after reading this article, you are not sure about your relationship with God and if you are not sure you will have eternal life with God after you die, I encourage you to, in faith, pray this suggested prayer. God knows your heart and is not as concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart:
Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me be the person You want me to be.
If you prayed this prayer today, Christ came into your heart as He promised. We would love to pray for you and send you helpful information by e-mail. Please fill out the form below:
This article was posted online April 18, 2003
Kevin Miller is a freelance writer, editor and educator from Abbotsford, BC. Over the past several years, he has written, co-written and contributed to 26 books, both fiction and non-fiction. Recent titles include KidDictionary, Soul Retreats for Students and The World's Easiest Pocket Guide to Buying Your First Home. He has also written dozens of articles for websites, magazines and newspapers, including Faith Today, BC Christian News and Maranatha News. Learn more about Kevin by clicking here to visit his website.