Page 56 - Human Rights

Faculty of Nursing
Adult care Nursing Department

In treating communicable diseases, nurses are also at risk of contracting diseases themselves.

Two nurses in Hanoi, Viet Nam, were confirmed to have contracted the virus from a single patient
who was thought to have infected other family members.

According to the WHO, as of 3 April 2006, some 190 human cases have been reported across

Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam since the end of December 2003,

resulting in a death rate of slightly over 50%.

These have overwhelmingly been cases where the virus has been acquired directly from an
infected bird.

Measures recommended by WHO to combat the spread of the disease include the formulation of

an influenza pandemic plan to which nursing professionals and nursing association representatives

can contribute.

Such measures have implications for human rights, both in terms of their adequacy in protecting
the rights of the population to life and health, and also with regard to proportionality and respect

for individual civil and political rights, such as rights of association and of movement.

2.8.3 Other acute infections

2.8.4 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

SARS was first reported in China in March 2003, reflecting possible infection in February 2003 or
as early as November 2002.

It created worldwide alarm and provoked the implementation of drastic control measures in many

countries.

Health workers were among the early population groups infected.

53 Academic Year 2025/2026