Nassau County Health Department announces the fifth Nassau County resident with a suspect case of SARS. The patient is a 47-year-old male who returned from a one-day stay in Toronto on May 20, 2003. The patient is currently recovering at home and all appropriate respiratory isolation measures are in effect. The patient first developed symptoms of a fever and cough on May 30, 2003, 10 days after returning from Toronto by plane.

He was not in direct contact with any known cases in Toronto. All household members who had contact with the patient in Nassau County have been notified. The Nassau County Department of Health will monitor these contacts on a daily basis for signs and symptoms of illness.

Although the patient has only mild symptoms, he is considered a suspect case based on CDC and New York State Department of Health definitions that include anyone with a cough and fever who has traveled to an affected area within the preceding 10 days or who has been in direct contact with a known case of SARS within the previous 10 days.

Most of the U.S. cases of SARS have occurred among travelers returning to the United States from other parts of the world affected by SARS. There have been very few cases as a result of spread to close contacts such as family members and health care workers.

Nassau County advises residents who have traveled to areas affected by SARS within the previous 10 days to consult their health care providers should they become ill. These areas are: Toronto, Canada; mainland China; Taiwan; Hong Kong; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Singapore.

Four of the earlier cases of SARS involved patients who had traveled abroad. There has been no secondary transmission of the illness locally.

Further general information about SARS is available at www.cdc.gov.