Preparedness against SARSin Norway

Preben AavitslandDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Division of Infectious Disease Control

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

(May 22, 2003)

Current strategy against SARS

• Detect cases

• Isolate cases

• Trace contacts

• Follow up contacts

– Based on available knowledge

– May be adjusted

– Lowest effective level

The roles of NIPH(Communicable Diseases Control Act § 7-9)

• Surveillance– In Norway

– Internationally

• Guidance and services– General guidance on infectious disease control

– Reference laboratories

– Vaccination programme

• Research

Surveillance for SARS

• Starting March 16– mandatory reportable to NIPH

– phone 22 04 23 48 plus fax/letter

• According to WHO definitions

• Reporting to EU, WHO

Guidance and services for SARS

• Guidance to public, health services and authorities– www.fhi.no

– ”MSIS-rapport”

– Epidemiologist on call 22 04 23 48

– Telephone, e-mail

– Public hotline 22 04 22 00

– Conferences

– Mass media

• Reference lab– appointed by MoH

Research

• Virology

• Specific immunoglobulin (with Affitech)

• Vaccine (with Bionor)

• Scenarios

Are we prepared?

Positive features of Norwegian society

• Well organised

• Knowledgeable population

• Wealthy people and government

• Sparsely populated

• Good health system

• Advanced science

• Democracy

• Free press

• Trust in Government

• Strong state

• Modern communicable disease law

• Not dependent on tourism

Negative features of Norwegian society

• Complacency?

• Never had a problem like this

• Never tested our preparedness

• Not mentally prepared for extreme measures

• Egoistic?

• Xenophobic?

• Infectious disease epidemiology not very well developed

• Used to 100% security; accept no less

Scenario

• Municipality of 5000

• Man 45, fever, malaise and diarrhoea after trip business trip to Singapore

• Patient’s delay two days

• Been to cafeteria, cinema, work place, friends’ homes etc. while mildly sick

Scenario continued

• Admitted to hospital for diarrhoea

• 300 beds, 1000 employees

• Misdiagnosed as enteritis for two days in hospital

• Waited in emergency room

• Been in single room and X-ray department

• Episodes of diarrhoea in bed

Do we have the municipal capacities?

• Personell– for contact tracing and follow up

– for dealing with mass media

– for dealing with the worried well

• Gloves, masks, gowns

• Thermometers

• Ambulance for bringing the next patients to hospital

Do we have the hospital capacities?

• Personnel– for caring for many patients– for replacing sick staff and contact staff– for contact tracing and follow up– for dealing with mass media– for dealing with the worried well– for supporting health care personnel

• Gloves, masks, gowns• Isolation rooms• ICU beds, respirators

Do we have the national capacities?

• Personnel– for supporting the health services

– for informing the public

– for dealing with mass media

– for dealing with the worried well

– for conducting surveillance

Conclusion

• Strategy is clear– Detect and isolate cases

– Trace and follow up contacts

• Information level is high

• Norway is seemingly well prepared

• SARS is an extreme threat

• Extreme capacities may be needed

• Are we prepared for ”the big one”?