Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has spread among all continents in half a year and has killed hundreds of people all over the world. The first outbreak was detected in China and later reached other countries of the world very fast.
According to My Canadian Pharmacy statistics, in 2002-2003 there were more than 300 cases of SARS reported in China; 110 people of the total number of patients were health care workers who caught severe acute respiratory syndrome from their patients.
One doctor from Guangdong caught the virus after consulting a patient with this diseases. He came to Hong Kong to attend a wedding and it is estimated that 90% of SARS cases were a result of contact with a sick person.
Another man caught the virus after sharing the same floor of a hotel with the sick doctor and he was responsible for bringing the disease into Vietnam. Another man from the same floor of a hotel brough the disease to Singapore and the virus began to attack victims here as well. Most of the Guangdong visitors got infected and brough the virus to other countries. Taiwan was the next country.
One doctor from the World Health Organization announced SARS as a new disease and also caught the virus, was hospitalized after travelling to Thailand and died after a couple of days.
The virus had been attacking people for a year (from 2002 to 2003). Only when the illness was considered severe and epidemic, preventive methods were taken.
After travelling through most countries of Asia, the virus started its way all over the world due to tourists who got infected with the virus.