Johannesburg, 3 September 2003 -- Preventive measures and response mechanisms put in place by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Member States have helped to check the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Africa, says a report released Monday in Johannesburg by the World Health Organization. 
Among the measures are the establishment, by the Brazzaville - based WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO), of a rumor verification system to track down suspected cases of the disease, and the identification of four reference laboratories to support SARS diagnosis in the Region. The laboratories are located in Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal; Antananarivo, Madagascar, and Nairobi, Kenya.

The report, released by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Ebrahim Samba, states that the other measures taken by WHO and national authorities to put SARS at bay in the Region include: the strengthening of country-level surveillance systems, early preparedness and response plans, and conference calls between WHO/AFRO and the Southern Epidemiological Bloc comprising countries in Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands.

Dr Samba says that only three suspected cases of SARS had been reported in the Region since the disease was first detected in China's Guandong province in mid- November 2003: one in Nigeria, where a retrospective diagnosis of a suspected case died in February; the second in South Africa, in April, and the third in Zambia, in May. However, no local transmission was reported in any of these countries.

WHO reported in July that the human-to-human chain of transmission of SARS appeared to be broken globally, but warned that the world must remain vigilant for the virus, considering its resilience and ability to cause surprises. Before SARS was brought under control, it had infected more than 8,400 people worldwide, killing more than 800.

For further information, please contact

Samuel T. Ajibola
Public Information and Communication Unit 
World Health Organization - Regional Office for Africa 
P.O. Box 6, Brazzaville, Congo. 
E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int
 Tel:+ 47 241 39378; Fax: + 47 241 39513
In Johannesburg: 072 722 5680