EDITORIAL
SARS threat must be put into context

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) — particularly in portions of Asia — must be truly frightening to the people who live there.

And indeed, it is a disease to be taken seriously.

After all, SARS has jumped to 20 countries around the world, killing 114 people and sickening more than 3,000. The bulk of the casualties outside mainland China have been in Hong Kong, where 32 people have died and an additional 1,059 are ill. Officials say the number of infected individuals could swell to as high as 3,000 by the end of the month.

But as the United States — and ports of entry such as Hawai'i — make plans to deal with the disease, a little balance is in order.

Fact One: While this disease can kill, its victims have primarily been people who already have compromised immune systems because they are elderly or sick with other problems or they are individuals who for one reason or another fail to seek medical treatment. Most people recover.

Fact Two: While this epidemic is still evolving, the Internet and other advanced forms of communication have enabled scientists around the world to join in a coordinated battle against SARS. Some scientists say this high-tech global effort may soon contain the spread of SARS.

Fact Three: While there have been around 170 cases of SARS in the United States (and a handful of "suspected" cases in Hawai'i), there have been no deaths in the U.S. The recent discovery that a China airlines flight attendant from Taiwan may have the disease has not been followed by any reports that she spread the disease during a stopover in Hawai'i.

Fact Four: While SARS is clearly a concern, it should be put into context. At this point, at least, it is far less an overall health threat than garden-variety flu.

Thousands of people die each year from the complications of flu. But did you get your flu shot? Do you take the normal hygiene protections that can drastically reduce your chances of catching flu?