Table 1.

Timeline of Major Events during the SARS Epidemic^∗

	March 2003
10	Beginning of the epidemic: report of an outbreak of respiratory infections involving 11 staff from 1 tertiary care public hospital in Hong Kong (HK).
12	World Health Organization (WHO) issued global alert about cases of acute atypical pneumonia.
14	Index case from public hospital outbreak confirmed.
15	WHO named the illness Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
19	Hong Kong Department of Health (HKDH) announced the chain of transmission from the hospital outbreak to guests of a specific hotel in HK and then to the identity of the index case of the epidemic.
21	Outbreaks in a private hospital and two private clinics reported.
22	The University of Hong Kong announced the identification of coronavirus as the causative agent responsible for SARS.
26	Community outbreak in a private housing complex with 15 suspected SARS cases admitted to one public hospital.
29	Health declaration for incoming visitors to Hong Kong. Classes suspended in schools and childcare centers.
31	HKDH ordered at 10-day isolation for sections of the private housing complex where the outbreak occurred.
	HKDH names 4 medical centers to provide medical surveillance of close contacts of all suspected SARS patients.
	April 2003
1	Residents of affected sections of the private housing complex outbreak evacuated.
	Outbreak in another public hospital reported.
2	WHO issued travel advisory for Hong Kong and Guangdong Province, China.
3	Hong Kong Hospital Authority implemented no-visiting policy for all acute wards.
10	HKDH introduced the home confinement policy for close contacts of all SARS patients.
17	Body temperature checks on all departing passengers at airport.
	The Government announced investigation findings of the outbreak at the private housing complex.
23	Outbreaks in 2 other public hospitals identified.
27	Outbreak in another public hospital identified.
	May 2003
2	Second outbreak in one private hospital identified.
5	A campaign entitled ‘Team Clean’ was established by the Hong Kong government to keep Hong Kong clean and establish a long-term structure to improve the environment.
16	WHO released investigation findings on the private housing outbreak.
23	WHO lifted the travel advisory for Hong Kong.
	June 2003
23	WHO removed Hong Kong from the SARS epidemic list.

^∗Adapted from: Hong Kong SARS Expert Committee (2 October 2003).