Lee, AlbertAlbertLee2026-05-112026-05-112003https://repository.sfu.edu.hk/handle/sfu/5388On 5 July 2003, the WHO removed Taiwan from its list of areas with recent local transmission of SARS meaning that all known chains of person to person transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus have now been broken. 1 However, the WHO executive director for communicable diseases advised that public health should not let down its guard, as more cases could still surface somewhere in the world. 1 It is therefore an important public health issue whether the SARS epidemics will recur. If the suspected SARS cases can be screened early and isolated, the number of contacts per unit time will be fewer and the duration of susceptible hosts exposed to suspected cases will also be short. [...]environment improvement and good infectious disease control measures are the key factors to prevent an epidemic in the autumn of 2003.enjournal article10.1136/jech.57.10.770