Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome hysteria continued to mount throughout Mercer County yesterday as news spread of two suspected SARS cases — a 68-year-old woman who had recently traveled to Asia and a Seton Hall University student thought to have been infected by a campus visitor.
But recent reports have shown that the SARS patient did not infect the Seton Hall student.
"To date, casual contact with a SARS patient at school, other institutions, or at public gatherings has not resulted in reported transmission," Seton Hall health services reported. "The potential for transmission to anyone on campus is very low."
University Chief Medical Officer Daniel Silverman said the chance of SARS coming to Princeton is "small." But the University officials who comprise the SARS subcommittee have been in contact with one another on a daily basis and have been circulating information to "answer people's questions and alleviate anxiety," Silverman said.
"We are continuing the usual procedures to alert and educate those who may be exposed to affected areas and asking all Princeton affiliates to help us so we can screen for medical symptoms," he said.
Silverman said there has not been evidence of any kind that SARS has infected anyone on the Princeton campus.
The SARS committee is now preparing for graduation and reunions where large groups of people will flood the campus. Silverman and other committee members have been working to set up "safe spaces to isolate people if they have contacted SARS" and early notification of people who have been affected and "who has not been well," he said.
"Our first priority is to control what we can control," Silverman said.
So far, President Tilghman has issued a temporary moratorium on all University-sponsored travel to areas where SARS has been reported. And Health Services recommends that all students planning to travel, to return to or to expect visitors to the University contact the travel medicine specialist, Dr. Peter Johnsen, for a consultation.
Silverman said that Johnsen has already given consultations by phone and email to concerned students and family members of Princeton affiliates.
The symptoms of SARS include a fever, chills and head and body aches, as well as a dry cough. SARS has an incubation period of 2-7 days.
The illness has been spreading rapidly since the first outbreak was reported on Feb. 26 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
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