There is not any significant risk in Australia as of now. They have good surveillance (Australia is good at public health) and so far no real cases to my knowledge. Also no real reason to exclude people from Taiwan, Hong Kong or even Mainland China although it will be important for them to watch themselves for fever and respiratory symptoms on entry and while in Australia (and anywhere else too). They will be reminded of that on entry to Australia. SARS is not infectious before the onset of symptoms according to current work. Same for Toronto people. The US have been very successful in preventing transmission here using those principles.

We are having trouble here explaining that it really looks like SARS is not infectious until a patient gets sick. And transmission in most countries is only from very close direct contact, as in a family setting or from caring for a SARS patient....and even those are rare. Australia does not seem to have any yet, and I think your public health system would pick up a real case quickly. Thus the statements were correct (from the perspective of the South Carolina State Epidemiologist, myself) as of the date I sent them and also at present. I suspect they will still be true in June and July as well but if you were very unlucky and went the way of Toronto early on, or Taiwan now, they might have to be changed a little. (J. J. Gibson; personal communication used with permission; 16th May, 2003).

James Jerry Gibson, MD, MPH
State Epidemiologist and Director
Bureau of Disease Control
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
USA