China has reported several cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS, one year after declaring victory over the disease. The news comes on the heels of a new study that suggests that SARS might spread through the air. Troubling though these developments are, in some ways they are encouraging. China's readiness to reveal the new cases indicates that Beijing has learned its lessons: covering up cases is not possible.
The study results provide a new understanding of how the disease is transmitted. With that knowledge, health officials will be better able to prevent and respond to future outbreaks.
SARS first appeared in southern China nearly a year and a half ago. At first, Chinese officials stuck to time-honored practices and suppressed news of the outbreak; by the time they acknowledged the problem, it had spread beyond the borders of the country. When the disease was finally brought under control, it had arrived in more than 30 countries, infected more than 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 worldwide. China was hit hardest in casualties. Moreover, the government's penchant for secrecy earned it international opprobrium.