Table 1.

 Criteria for the definition of cases of SARS in The Netherlands during 2003

Case definition (date)	Fever >38°C	Cough and breathing difficulty	Contact with patient with severe respiratory disease (in SARS area)	Travel to or residence in known SARS area	Contact with SARS patient outside affected area	Radiographical evidence of lung infiltrates (pneumonia)
1 (17 March)	+	+	+ a	–	–	+
2 (1 April)	+	+	+ b	–	–	–
3 (9 April)	+	+	+ c or	+ d	–	+
4 (2 May)	+	+	+ c or	+ d or	+	+
5 (10 June)	+	+	+ or	+ or	+	–

+, obligatory criterion; –, not an obligatory criterion for SARS assessment and notification.

^a Hong Kong, Guangdong, Hanoi (Vietnam).

^b Hong Kong, Guangdong, Hanoi (Vietnam) + China (Beijing, Shanxi), Taiwan, Singapore, Toronto and other affected areas with local transmission.

^c In areas with local transmission, but without travel advice (Hong Kong and Guangdong thus not included).

^d Areas with a travel advice at that time.