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Jan. 09, 2004

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

U-M to host international SARS symposium Jan. 20

Chinese state media recently reported that a 32-year-old man in Guangzhou was diagnosed with the first case of SARS since the disease was contained in 2003. A second suspected case was reported this week.

DATE: Jan. 20, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

EVENT: The Michigan Academic Center for Public Health Preparedness will host a day-long event featuring SARS experts from China, Hong Kong, Europe, Canada and the U.S. to discuss lessons learned from the global SARS experience.

Speakers planning to attend include:

• Matthew Boulton, state epidemiologist at the Michigan Department of Community Health and clinical associate professor of epidemiology at U-M School of Public Health. Boulton coordinated Michigan's SARS response efforts.

• Allison McGeer, microbiologist and infectious disease consultant, Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. McGeer managed SARS isolation and quarantine measures in Toronto.

• Stephen Ostroff, deputy director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ostroff served on the CDC team managing the threat of SARS in the U.S.

• Klaus Stohr, director of the global influenza program for the World Health Organization. Stohr coordinated the WHO Global Laboratory Network during the SARS crisis.

• Malik Peris, professor of microbiology at the University of Hong Kong. Peris played a critical role in the identification of the coronavirus

• Karen Lee Smith, assistant health officer at the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. Smith handled issues related to a SARS case onboard an aircraft at San Jose International Airport.

• Zonghan Zhu, director of the Beijing Municipal Central Laboratory of Infections and Immunity. Zhu directed the SARS public health response efforts in Beijing during the outbreak in early 2003.

PLACE: Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in the Michigan League, 911 N. University on University of Michigan's Central Campus http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/ccamp.html

SPONSORS: The Michigan Academic Center for Public Health Preparedness, part of a national network of academic centers established to support preparedness efforts of state and local health departments. It is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through the Association of Schools of Public Health.

TO REGISTER: Public registration ends Jan. 9; register via http://www.mipreparedness.org.
Reporters who would like to attend should contact Colleen Newvine to make arrangements. Organizers have reserved an adjacent room for conducting quiet interviews, and 300 dpi photos are available of most presenters.

CONTACT: The Michigan Academic Center for Public Health Preparedness (734) 936-5333, prepared@umich.edu

WEB LINKS:

The Michigan Academic Center for Public Health Preparedness >

U-M School of Public Health >

Washington Post reports on suspected second case of SARS >

China Daily story on residents' reaction to the latest SARS outbreak >

Associated Press coverage of the civet cat slaughter in China >

Contact: Colleen Newvine
Phone: (734) 647-4411
E-mail: cnewvine@umich.edu