The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which has claimed the lives of more than 800 people around the world, appears to have subsided. No new cases have been reported in mainland China, the epicenter of the disease, since June 11. Complete eradication will be difficult, though, and the possibility of another round next winter is causing concern.
Fortunately, since the World Health Organization issued its first warning in March, no SARS cases have been discovered in Japan. But we cannot afford to be complacent. It is necessary for us to consolidate our preparations for the next outbreak. The entry into Japan of a SARS-infected Taiwanese doctor on vacation, which hit the headlines in May, turned out to be a valuable lesson and a kind of rehearsal of what should be done when a patient is discovered.
On June 20 the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare officially decided to include SARS on the list of designated diseases stipulated under the infectious-diseases law so that compulsory measures, such as the hospitalization of patients, can take effect promptly. The ministry also announced its policy of revising the law to strengthen the administrative powers of the state in response to infectious diseases like SARS that enter the country from overseas.