Carlo Urbani

**Carlo Urbani** (19 October 1956-29 March 2003) was an Italian physician and microbiologist and the first to identify severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) as probably a new and dangerously contagious viral disease, and his early warning to the World Health Organization triggered a global response credited with saving countless lives. During the 2002-04 SARS Pandemic, he became infected and died from the disease.

## Biography

#### Early Life and Medical Career

Carlo Urbani was born in Castelplanio, Italy on 19 October 1956. Urbani graduated from the University of Ancona in 1981, specializing in infectious and tropical diseases from the University of Messina. He subsequently earned a postgraduate degree in tropical parasitology. In 1983, he and his wife had their first child and their second arrived in 1987. As a young man, Urbani volunteered for the the African endemic disease cause as well as Mani Tese. In 1989 he was primary aide in the infectious diseases department of Macerata, Italy and by in 1993 he became an external consultant of the World Health Organization. In 1996, he joined Médecins Sans Frontières and moved with his family to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a year. Upon his return to Macerata, he became president of the Italian section of MSF. He also helped launch a campaign against multinational pharmaceutical companies that keep up the price of indispensable medicines against the diseases; AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. In 1999 he was part of the delegation that received the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to MSF. With the prize money, Urbani created a fund to promote an international campaign for access to essential mediccations for the world's poorest nations.

## SARS Pandemic

In February 2003, Urbani was called to The French Hospital of Hanoi in Vietnam to inspect an American patient named Johnny Chen who had fallen ill with what was at first thought to be a sever case of influenza. Upon researching Chen's infection, he discovered that this was in fact a new and highly dangerous disease. He soon after notified the WHO about his discovery, calling for five month epidemic cautions to be put into affect. He also persuaded the Vietnamese Health Ministry to begin isolating patients and screening travelers, thus slowing the early pace of the epidemic. On March 11, 2003, Urbani flew to Bangkok, Thailand where he was scheduled to speak at a conference regarding childhood parasites. During his flight, he began feeling feverish and was rushed to the hospital upon arrival where he was diagnosed with SARS, having contracted it treating patients. His Bangkok hospital room became an improvised isolation ward, and communication occurred via an intercom. As his lungs weakened, he was put on a ventilator. During a moment of consciousness, Urbani asked for a priest to give him last rites and also asked for his lung tissue to be donated for scientific research. Urbani died on 29 March 2003, after 18 days of intensive care. Urbani was hailed as a hero for his actions which saved countless lives during the SARS Pandemic and his memory continued to be remembered particularly during the COVID-19 Pandemic, even comparing doctor, Li Wenliang to Urbani for their work to prevent the spread as well as them spreading information on the true danger of the viruses. In March 2021, his youngest daughter died from a drug overdose in Rome, Italy.