SARS Death Toll Climbs to 534

The early symptoms of SARS resemble those of influenza. The spread of the disease began in November 2002 via international passenger plane travel. Peking is the world’s hardest hit city with 2,265 reported cases and 120 deaths. In that city, one hundred eighty six people were treated and later released and 1,422 suspected cases are still under investigation. Finnish news agency FNB, recently reported what is possibly the first SARS case in Finland, where a citizen with SARS-like symptoms is under observation. Reports indicate that it’s possible that the patient recently returned from a trip to Canada.

In Hong Kong, AIDS expert David Ho reported that SARS can be treated with a drug combination similar to the type used for AIDS patients.

The worldwide death toll from SARS has climbed to 534. Individual countries report as follows: China, 240, Hong Kong, 215, Singapore, 27, Canada, 23, Taiwan, 8, Vietnam, 5, Malaysia, 2, Philippines, 2, and Thailand, 2.

aa / Beijing, Helsinki / China, Finland