Wuhan Evening News
06 May, 2003
A couple in wedding dress wear masks as a protection against Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) as they cross a street. The deadly virus, for which there was no cure, infects the lungs and is spread easily by person-to-person contact. It first made its appearance in Guandong province in November 2002 and spread rapidly around the country. Initial government reluctance to admit the extent of the epidemic lifted in April, when the official tally of infections in Beijing was boosted tenfold. By May more than 4,800 cases had been reported in at least 26 countries, with over 300 fatalities. As it was so easily transmittable, Sars caused widespread public concern, resulting in impositions of quarantine, and plummeting tourist and airline figures.
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