April 16, 2003

The Michigan Department of Community Health today announced a suspected case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in an adult in Washtenaw County, bringing the total number of SARS suspect cases in Michigan residents to three.  The Department had previously reported two suspect cases in Kent County.  None of the suspect SARS patients are hospitalized and all are recovering without any reported complications.

“Thankfully, all the suspect SARS patients in Michigan are in good condition,” said Michigan Department of Community Health Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom.  “There is no evidence of a direct connection between any of the suspect cases as all three individuals had independently traveled to Asia.”

Hospitals and health care providers throughout the state are closely following the protocols and recommendations for care set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure patient safety.  Due to patient confidentiality, the individuals’ names, ages or other identifying information will not be released.  Appropriate specimens have been collected and have either been sent to the CDC or are being routed through the Michigan Department of Community Health laboratory for delivery to the CDC.  These cases may remain listed as “suspect” cases until the CDC further identifies SARS and develops diagnostic tests for it. 

The Department of Community Health had previously reported a suspect SARS case in a New Hampshire resident who had been hospitalized in Wayne County.  This individual is no longer hospitalized in Michigan and the CDC continues to consider it a New Hampshire case.

The Department of Community Health works closely with physicians, laboratories, and local health departments throughout the state to be on the lookout for potential cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.  This increased surveillance has assisted the Department in detecting suspect cases, investigating them and ensuring patients are cared for properly with minimal risk to others.

The CDC has issued multiple public health advisories concerning the recent outbreak of SARS.  SARS symptoms include fever (100.5 ° F. or higher) and respiratory difficulties such as coughing, shortness of breath or other difficulty breathing, developing on or after Feb. 1, 2003, in persons who have recently traveled to countries in Asia where the illness has been transmitted in community settings, or who have had close contact with ill persons who had recently traveled to those countries.  Travel includes transit in an airport in an area with documented or suspected community transmission of SARS.  Persons with respiratory symptoms, fever, and have either of the aforementioned exposures should call their doctor before going to the clinic or doctor’s office.