In Southeast Asia in 2003, a pneumonia-like illness that proved fatal for many individuals within a few days of contracting it alarmed global health organizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a partnership with the World Hea

In Southeast Asia in 2003, a pneumonia-like illness that proved fatal for many individuals within a few days of contracting it alarmed global health organizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a partnership with the World Hea

In Southeast Asia in 2003, a pneumonia-like illness that proved fatal for many individuals within a few days of contracting it alarmed global health organizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) to examine the nature and extent of the disease. They soon determined that it was not another contagious illness, H5N1, or “bird flu,” and gave it the name severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Despite their efforts, cases began being reported in Canada. That same day, a call to action was issued by the CDC through its Emergency Operations Center (CDC, 2013). Local, national, and international public and private health organizations and their leaders were then quickly tasked with responding to the challenges of determining how a disease could be spread from Southeast Asia to Canada. Their charge: to develop strategies for combatting its spread to other nations internationally.