Health Officials Seek Help from U.S. to Control Virus

Responding to studies which show that the SARS virus can survive for up to 24 hours on objects and recently infected health care workers in two Toronto hospitals, Dr. James Young, the Ontario commissioner of public safety, invited a Center for Disease Control (CDC) team from Atlanta to discuss and help strengthen infection control measures. The US and Canada have been working together and sharing information since the outbreak of the epidemic by sending epidemiologists to work with each other’s SARS investigation teams. Although the C.D.C. was criticized in 2001 for its mishandling of the anthrax episode, it has made greater efforts to improve communication, especially in light of SARS. –YaleGlobal