Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) —Summary of SARS outbreak, response in Japan, and actions at Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases—

March 12, 2003, the WHO issued a Global Alert on the atypical pneumonia of unknown cause that broke out in Asia, naming the disease SARS. Supported by the cooperation of specialists from various countries, the WHO announced on April 15 that the pathogen was a new-type of coronavirus and proposed calling it SARS Coronavirus. Following international efforts, the WHO declared on July 5 that there was no new transmission of SARS. The outbreak came to an end, recording about 8,000 cases including about 800 deaths. Japan actively participated in the collection and sharing of information, establishment of testing and reporting systems in the country, and contributed to WHO and affected areas to control SARS. While 68 cases, including 52 suspect and 16 probable cases, were reported from the front line in Japan, all met the exclusion criteria and the number reported to the WHO was zero by the Government. Although no new cases of SARS have since been reported, we cannot categorically state that this disease and the virus has been eradicated. We need to maintain the system for intensive surveillance and be prepared for a possible resurgence of SARS.