MO DHSS Health Update: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
For Immediate Release:
January 15, 2004

Contact:
Office of the Director
912 Wildwood
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Telephone: (800) 392-0272
Fax: (573) 751-6041
Web site: www.dhss.state.mo.us

[This Health Update on SARS contains information on 1) a January 15, 2004, Health Advisory which provides new information and recommendations following reports of a third possible SARS case in China, 2) a January 13, 2004, Health Advisory which contains updated information on the clinical evaluation and management of patients who present from the community with fever and/or respiratory illnesses, and 3) a January 12, 2004, Health Guidance which provides updated recommendations for community-level SARS preparedness and response.]

The department has recently released two Health Advisory documents, and one Health Guidance document, on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS):

1. January 15, 2004, Health Advisory: Updated SARS Information and Recommendations Following Reports of a Third Possible SARS Case in China
   
   This Health Advisory contains updated information and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following recent reports of cases of SARS in Guangdong Province, China.
   Download the Advisory
   
   
2. January 13, 2004, Health Advisory: Clinical Guidance on the Identification and Evaluation of Possible SARS-CoV Disease among Persons Presenting with Community-Acquired Illness
   
   CDC has recently issued updated guidance on the clinical evaluation and management of patients who present from the community with fever and/or respiratory illnesses. This Health Advisory (which replaces a previous SARS Health Advisory released on December 22, 2003) summarizes the key points of the updated CDC guidance document.
   Download the Advisory
   
   
3. January 12, 2004, Health Guidance: Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
   
   CDC has also recently updated a comprehensive SARS guidance document developed to assist local and state public health and healthcare officials in their preparations for SARS. This Health Guidance (which replaces a previous SARS Health Guidance issued November 7, 2003) reproduces the updated CDC document. It is strongly recommended that all Missouri healthcare facilities and public health agencies carefully review and utilize this material as they develop and update their own SARS preparedness and response plans. The complete (241-page) Health Guidance document, as well as individual sections of the document, are available at http://www.dhss.state.mo.us/SARS/SARS_Guidance.htm.

The most recent SARS-related Health Alerts, Health Advisories, Health Guidances, and Health Updates, as well as other sources of information on SARS, are available on the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) SARS website (go to http://www.dhss.state.mo.us/ and click on "SARS"). Specific questions on SARS should be addressed to DHSS's disease investigation unit at 573/751-6268, or after-hours at 1-800-392-0272.

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