Why Sars shows China should not lower its coronavirus guard
- Scientists in the southern city of Guangzhou said that during the 2003 outbreak cluster infections reappeared when schools reopened
- Study also suggests that the city was able to bring the Covid-19 outbreak under control much more quickly due to a swift and aggressive response
Experts have warned the Chinese authorities not to let their guard down over Covid-19 because their experience during the severe acute respiratory (Sars) outbreak showed that it could return when schools reopen.
Although the outbreak appears to been brought under control, epidemiologists from the Guangzhou Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and two other hospitals said that data collected during the Sars outbreak in 2003 suggested there had been cluster infections in schools after they reopened.
The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic and warned that confirmed cases of infection outside China have risen to over 43,000 with more than 100 countries now affected.
Meanwhile, China reported only nine new confirmed cases of infection – excluding imported cases – on Thursday, signalling that the government may soon be prepared to lift its disease control measures and reopen schools and businesses.
But the scientists said the authorities should remain vigilant even if they decide to reopen schools and return to normal business and pointed out that the spring-summer months were also the peak influenza season.