SARS – Byrne calls for European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, April 2003

The European Commission has established a website devoted to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), some 30 cases of which have been reported in Europe.

The respiratory illness appears to be caused by a virus belonging to a group known as corona viruses, which also causes the common cold. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the symptoms of someone suspected of having contracted SARS are 'documented high fever (greater than 38°C), and cough or breathing difficulty' in the context of 'having been in contact with a person believed to have had SARS or a history of travel to a geographic area where there has been documented transmission of the illness, during the 10 days prior to onset of symptoms.'

The disease was recognised at the end of February 2003. It does not spread as easily as other viruses, such as influenza, but the New Scientist has reported that 'in the absence of a cure or a vaccine, SARS could eventually kill millions.' Although the WHO had predicted that 5%-6% of people contracting the disease would die from it, more recent research suggests that the death rate could reach 15%.

There have been 30 probable SARS cases reported in Europe since 1 November 2002:

A European Network for Surveillance of Communicable Diseases was set up in 1998. Although responsibility for implementing appropriate measures is the responsibility of Member States, the Commission has a coordinating role with Member States and with the World Health Organization. In the case of SARS one product is the daily collection of reports from all EU Member States and Acceding Countries.

In a speech to the European Parliament on 7 April, Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne spoke of the SARS outbreak as being a test for the existing Network, which has two main elements: epidemiological surveillance and early warning. He warned, however, that the Commission's capacity to provide a coordinating and facilitating role had reached its limit.

One of the Commission's main aims has been to ensure that Member States provide a consistent response to the outbreak. At a meeting of the Communicable Disease NetworkCommittee 9-10 April, a number of 'immediate actions' were agreed to assist Member States and the Commission in the surveillance and control of SARS in Europe. They were listed under the following main headings:

• reduce the risk of infection in travellers to affected areas

• limit importation of infection

• detect imported cases early

• public information to prevent spread

In his speech on 7 April, Commissioner Byrne also argued for the creation of a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control as 'the most effective way to strengthen Community activities' aimed at detecting and controlling communicable diseases. He informed his audience that a proposal for legislation is at an advanced stage and should be published 'in the next couple of months'. If adopted, the legislation would establish a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control by 2005.

Links:

European Commission:
	Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
	07.04.03:	Commission statement on the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) by Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne, European Parliament, Strasbourg, 7 April
World Health Organization:
	Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
BBC News Online:
	27.04.03:	Sars 'can still be contained'
	26.04.03:	Sars death rate 'higher'
	Sars update: Global map
New Scientist:
	25.04.03:	SARS much more deadly than first estimated
European Sources Online: Topic Guides
	The European Union and Public Health

Eric Davies
Researcher
Compiled: Monday, 28 April 2003

At a meeting of the Communicable Disease NetworkCommittee 9-10 April 2003, a number of 'immediate actions' were agreed to assist Member States and the Commission in the surveillance and control of SARS in Europe.