Health & society2003

The 2003 SARS outbreak and international containment

An international respiratory outbreak illustrating the importance of surveillance and timely isolation.

In May 2003 the WHO reported probable SARS cases in 29 countries. Its updates stressed isolation and infection control as ways of interrupting transmission.

The comparison with COVID-19 can inform preparedness, but the outbreak’s scale and course cannot be transferred mechanically: transmission and context differed.