Post by Administrator on May 4, 2003 10:05:12 GMT -5
Two of the nation's top health officials said Friday the spread of the SARS virus in the United States has been contained.
"At the moment, there are 56 cases of probable SARS in the United States, but there have been no transmission to personal contacts or health care workers in 20 days, which means we have contained the problem for the time being," said Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But Gerberding and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifying before a U.S. Senate subcommittee field hearing here, said with hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens still traveling abroad, the threat is by no means over.
"With the level of alertness we've been put on and the measures for surveillance, the risk is relatively small," Fauci said. "But we still need to be on a state of alert."
Gerberding said the CDC will continue to warn travelers about the SARS "hot spots" because the threat in the U.S is primarily from travelers returning from those areas.
"At the moment, there are 56 cases of probable SARS in the United States, but there have been no transmission to personal contacts or health care workers in 20 days, which means we have contained the problem for the time being," said Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But Gerberding and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifying before a U.S. Senate subcommittee field hearing here, said with hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens still traveling abroad, the threat is by no means over.
"With the level of alertness we've been put on and the measures for surveillance, the risk is relatively small," Fauci said. "But we still need to be on a state of alert."
Gerberding said the CDC will continue to warn travelers about the SARS "hot spots" because the threat in the U.S is primarily from travelers returning from those areas.