WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/INF/60
14 April 2003
(03-2058)
ATYPICAL PNEUMONIA/SARS
The WTO Medical Service is monitoring developments concerning the atypical
pneumonia/SARS epidemic on a daily basis, in close cooperation with the WHO. There is no cause
for concern regarding the health of WTO officials at this time.
The Medical Service reminds everyone returning from affected areas (China,
Hong Kong China, Singapore, Viet Nam, Chines e Taipei, Toronto) for whatever reason (mission,
holiday, etc.) as well as experts coming from those areas, in the last 10 days to contact it either by
phone (ext. 5665) or by e-mail ( jms@wto.org ).  It will assess the need to isolate people returning from
these areas on a case-by-case basis, and any such decision would be taken solely as a safety
precaution.
The term "affected area" means an area with locally transmitted – not imported – cases. A few
reminders concerning atypical pneumonia/SARS:
- There is a 96 per cent recovery rate from SARS.
- According to the WHO, the disease is not contagious until after the symptoms have developed
(high fever +38°C, cough, difficulty in breathing), and the risk of contracting the disease
following contact with a sick person does not extend beyond a period of 10 days.
The following instructions have been given to the WTO staff and they may also be of interest to
delegations
• If you have no symptoms or have not come into direct contact with a suspected SARS case,
you may come to work, but check for any symptoms over the next 10 days.
• If you have, or believe you may have, come into contact with (through intimate contact, or by
caring for or sharing the same home as) a suspected SARS case, do not come to work .  Stay
at home and phone the Medical Service for advice (ext. 5665).
• If you run a high fever (+38°C) and experience respiratory problems (cough, shortness of
breath):
- Stay at home.
- Phone the Medical Service.
- Phone your own doctor and report the area from which you have returned.  Follow
all recommendations.
- If you have no personal doctor, contact:
* In Switzerland:  Hôpital cantonal (022.372.33.11) or your nearest hospital.
* In France:  Dial No. 15.
The Medical Service reminds all concerned that long-distance international travel involves
risks.
Dr. C. Mazeyrac Mr. R. Abbott
Medical Service Deputy Director-General
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