According to the WHO: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was recognized at the end of February 2003. SARS is a disease of unknown etiology that has been described in patients in Asia, North America, and Europe. The information in this report provides a summary of the clinical characteristics of SARS patients treated in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China), Taiwan (China), Thailand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Canada and the United States since mid-February 2003. Suspect case 1. A person presenting after 1 November 20021 with history of: - high fever (>38 °C) AND - cough or breathing difficulty AND one or more of the following exposures during the 10 days prior to onset of symptoms: - close contact2 with a person who is a suspect or probable case of SARS; - history of travel, to an area with recent local transmission of SARS - residing in an area with recent local transmission of SARS