- An extensive investigation into 144 SARS cases from Ontario's
first outbreak proves that the viral illness is predominantly hospital-spread.
The study by a group of Toronto doctors found 77% of people in the study
infected with SARS contracted the virus in a hospital setting.
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- Researchers from 10 Toronto hospitals. led by Dr. Allan
Detsky of Mount Sinai Hospital, collected the data and concluded SARS is
not as deadly as first believed.
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- Detsky was unavailable for comment yesterday.
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- "Although SARS is associated with significant morbidity
and mortality, especially in patients with diabetes or other comorbid conditions,
the vast majority (93.5%) of patients in our cohort survived," the
researchers concluded.
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- That means the SARS death rate for the people studied
was 6.5%.
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- The study also reported that without any sort of epidemiological
risk, doctors should look for the most commonly found symptoms.
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- A self-reported fever appeared in 99% of SARS patients,
while 85% had a documented fever.
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- A non-productive cough appeared in 69% of patients, while
muscle pain (49%) and difficulty breathing(42%) were also common.
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