EMERGENCE OF SARS could then focus on addressing its stated objectives more efficiently. In the population-based survey, almost all respondents knew about the body-temperature monitoring campaign, and 71% knew about the fever hotline. The Bureau of National Health Insurance was highly successful in publi- cizing the campaign and hotline and should consider using similar methods for future hotlines. An important aspect of this evaluation is assessing the potential impact of these interventions on improving early SARS detection. Eighteen callers to the fever hotline were identified as being at high risk for SARS. Because these persons were not followed up for outcome, determining if any subsequently met the World Health Organization’s suspected or probable SARS case definition was not possi- ble. Furthermore, because hotline data were not always collected systematically, determining if all callers at high risk for SARS were identified was difficult. Lastly, sparse risk factor data limit our ability to determine if more per- sons at high risk for SARS should have been identified. Taking these limitations into account, the hotline potential- ly identified an estimated cohort of persons at high risk for SARS equivalent to 9.5% of the 190 suspected and proba- ble SARS cases reported in Taiwan in the same 10-day period. Documentation of the advice and referrals given by physicians was missing for a substantial proportion of calls; therefore, judging whether these callers were appro- priately referred is not possible. The reasons for missing data are not yet fully elucidated. A telephone survey of callers to the Taipei SARS fever hotline is in progress to assess advice and referrals given and caller compliance. An algorithm and accompanying questionnaire that includes clearly articulated steps to measure temperature and document risk factors might assist in standardizing risk assessment, advice, referrals, and evaluation in future outbreaks.2 Acknowledgments We thank the employees of the National Bureau for Health Insurance, Taiwan, for their assistance with translation, data col- lection, data entry, and logistic issues; the respondents in the pop- ulation-based survey for their participation; and Julie Magri for critical review of the manuscript. Dr. Kaydos-Daniels is an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer assigned to the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Program. Her primary interests are in the epidemiology of infectious diseases, emerging infec- tions, and international health. References 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preliminary clinical description of severe acute respiratory syndrome. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2003;52:255–6. 2. Donnelly CA, Ghani AC, Leung GM, Hedley AJ, Fraser C, Riley S, et al. Epidemiological determinants of spread of causal agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong. Lancet 2003;361:1761–6. 3. Lee N, Hui, D, Wu A, Chan P, Cameron P, Joynt G, et al. A major out- break of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong. N Engl J Med 2003;348:1986–94. 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Update: severe acute res- piratory syndrome—Toronto, Canada, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2003;52:547–50. 5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Update: severe acute res- piratory syndrome—worldwide, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2003;52:241–8. 6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Severe acute respiratory syndrome—Singapore, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2003;52:405–11. 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Severe acute respiratory syndrome—Taiwan, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2003;52:461–6. 8. Department of Health, Taiwan. May 31, 2003. Press release from the SARS Contingency Committee (2003/5/31). [Accessed Aug 14, 2003]. Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov.tw/sarsen 9. Government Information Office, Taiwan. Taiwan yearbook 2003. [Accessed Aug 28, 2003]. Available from: URL: http://www. gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/yearbook/chpt02.htm#1 Address for correspondence: S. Cornelia Kaydos-Daniels, West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, 350 Capitol Street, Room 125, Charleston, WV 25301, USA; fax: +1 (304) 558-6335; email: sqk3@cdc.gov 376 Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 10, No. 2, February 2004