Severe Respiratory Illness (SRI) in the SARS "Post-Outbreak" Period

The SARS "Post-Outbreak" period is the current period where no active SARS cases have been identified anywhere in the world.  The focus during this period  is on vigilant surveillance for severe respiratory illness of unknown etiology, stringent infection control practices and efficient communication between all stakeholders.  The following documents are intended to provide direction/information for this period:

• Enhanced Surveillance
• Public Health Response
• Laboratory Testing
   

Enhanced Surveillance - Defines "SRI", "alerts" and baseline surveillance activities.  Is intended to ensure that all provinces and territories have implemented, at minimum, hospital-based surveillance capable of detecting specific alerts. 

• Surveillance for Severe or Emerging Respiratory Infections in the SARS Post-Outbreak Period (7 pages - PDF - Revised 2004-02-04)
• Severe Respiratory Illness (SRI) / Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Investigation Report Form (3 pages - PDF - Revised 2004-11-17)

Public Health Response - Provides direction on the public health management of SRI cases and clusters identified through the hospital-based enhanced surveillance system. 

• Public Health Management of Cases and Clusters of Severe Respiratory Illness (SRI) in the Post-SARS Outbreak Period (9 pages - PDF - Revised 2003-11-06)

Laboratory Testing - provides guidelines on specimen collection, handling specimens, and interpreting results.

• SARS-CoV Laboratory Investigation Protocol for the SARS Post-Outbreak Period (5 pages - PDF - 2003-11-07)
• The Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network (CPHLN) Laboratory Testing for Patients with Severe Respiratory Illness (SRI) Not Yet Diagnosed (NYD) (1 page - PDF - 2003-11-07)
• The Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network (CPHLN) Recommended Specimens for the Diagnosis of SARS CoV (1 page - PDF - 2003-11-07)
• The Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network (CPHLN) Recommendations on Laboratory Evidence of SARS CoV Infection (1 page - PDF - 2003-11-07)