HEALTH-LATIN AMERICA: SARS and Its Impacts Here to Stay

The presence of people wearing white laboratory coats in Latin American and Caribbean airports is growing as efforts multiply to monitor passengers in order to prevent the entry if severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). But the impacts of the disease have already reached the region - and apparently are here to stay.

HEALTH-CHINA: Anti-SARS Drive No Less Than a People’s War

In a throwback to its patriotic sanitation campaigns of the 1950s, China's Communist Party is now waging a ''People's War'' on curbing the spread of deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) here in the capital and the rest of the country.

U.S.: Test of 15-Billion-Dollar Global AIDS Measure Comes Later

The U.S. House of Representatives' approval Thursday of a five-year, 15 billion dollar package to fight HIV/AIDS in 14 African and Caribbean nations is a key victory for President George W Bush and anti-AIDS activists, but the concrete test of this commitment lies ahead.

SINGAPORE: SARS Drags Quiet Farming Industry into Spotlight

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-linked closure of the largest wholesale vegetable market in Singapore has cast the spotlight on a little known industry in this modern island state: farming.

HEALTH: Asian Leaders Pledge Joint War against SARS

In a sign of regional solidarity, leaders of South-east Asian nations and China pledged at special summit here Tuesday to use unity, shared resources and openness to combat the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

HEALTH: Vietnam’s Case Shows SARS Can be Controlled

Vietnam's success at curbing the spread of the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is fuelling optimism among international health experts that the latest killer disease can be put under control.

HEALTH: Caribbean Acknowledges SARS Threat

Until this week, many Caribbean governments were concerned that if they were seen taking steps to combat SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) the moves could cause undue alarm about an outbreak.

HEALTH: Canada Signals Success Against WHO Toronto Travel Warning

Furious lobbying by Canadian politicians against a World Health Organization (WHO) advisory to avoid the City of Toronto because of the SARS outbreak appeared to pay off Friday when Ontario Premier Ernie Eves said the global body would review its decision.

HEALTH-CHINA: SARS Tests Maturity of a Usually Sheltered Public

Long sheltered from bad news by their image-obsessed government, the residents of the Chinese capital are undergoing a test of maturity in the current crisis over the spread of atypical pneumonia.

HEALTH-FRANCE: Strong Steps Taken Against SARS

The French government has ordered immediate hospitalisation of anyone showing SARS symptoms even though the condition is not considered a major health risk within France.

HEALTH: SARS as ‘Global Pandemic’

With reports that SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) can survive for up to 24 hours on inanimate surfaces, turning any object into a potential transmission source, it looks like the virus might indeed be the global pandemic suggested by health experts. But what exactly does that mean?

CHINA: Admissions over SARS Greeted by Shock, Apprehension

Shock and disbelief, as well fast-rising worries, greeted the weekend disclosure of dramatically higher figures for atypical pneumonia in Beijing and the sacking of top officials over the handling of the health crisis.

SOUTH-EAST ASIA: SARS Forces Governments to Discuss Economic Pain

The special summit to be held by South-east Asian leaders this month to deal with the economic consequences of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) amplifies the rising tide of panic over the deadly illness in the region.

DEVELOPMENT-CHINA: SARS Exposes Weaknesses of Health System

When China's newly inaugurated leaders pledged last month to devote their energy to helping the poor and downtrodden, little did they know that they would run straight into a challenge that would test this commitment.

RELIGION-EAST ASIA: Faith Challenged in the Time of SARS

The Catholic Church across East Asia is placing greater faith in pragmatism rather than religious rituals this Holy Week, in order to stall the spread of the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

ECONOMY: Slow, Unsteady Growth Ahead for Developing Regions – IMF

Economic performance will continue to languish in most regions of the world in 2003, with developing countries recording slight improvements and rich nations achieving mixed results, said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Wednesday.

EAST ASIA: Fear of SARS Results in ‘Suspects’ Treated as Outcasts

With fear gripping East Asia over the rapidly spreading atypical pneumonia that has killed 100 people by this week, a steady cough or few sneezes in public can be a ticket to ostracism.

HEALTH: India Still Cool to Pneumonia-like Bug

With nary a case of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) surfacing in India, authorities remain cool to the mystery pneumonia-like bug that has claimed 80 lives and infected more than 2,000 others worldwide.

HEALTH-CANADA: SARS – Officials Counsel Calm, People Prefer Masks

The mayor of the capital city of Canada's British Columbia (B.C.) province returned from a two-week holiday and immediately enclosed himself, his wife and their two high- school-age children in their Victoria home.

HEALTH-EAST ASIA: SARS Outbreak Draws Contrasting Responses

In the wake of a rapidly spreading killer disease, two East Asian countries of contrasting size are revealing how fast they are holding on to features that nations here are known for - saving face, and wearing a calm exterior to hide turmoil within.

ECONOMY: ‘Sunny’ Caribbean Clouded by War and SARS

First came the Sep. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, then the threat of war in Iraq, followed by the current fighting and now SARS, a deadly offshoot of the virus that causes pneumonia.