On July 6, 2003, the World Health Organization announced that SARS had been contained, as no new cases of the disease had been reported anywhere in the world since June 15.

Although the announcement was a relief to many people, medical experts tended to be less optimistic.

For instance, some felt that the disease could easily return.

Because SARS is a coronavirus, it may be seasonal like other coronaviruses—such as those that cause the common cold.

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center of Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota, felt a recurrence of SARS was not only possible, but likely. "I am convinced with the advent of an early winter in the Northern Hemisphere in just six short months," he told Congress, "we will see a resurgence of SARS that could far exceed our experience to date."Other infectious disease experts...