Iqaluit (Apr 07/03) - Nunavut residents are at low risk of developing cases of the potentially deadly SARS which has been sweeping the globe, according to the Department of Health.

Terry Creagh, regional communicable disease co-ordinator for the Baffin, is confident the risk of SARS in the territory is small.

Known clinically as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, the infection surfaced in China back in November.

Since then it has spread to 15 countries, including Canada, and has killed nearly 70 people including the World Health Organization (WHO) doctor who originally raised the alarm, Carlo Urbani.

With over 2,000 confirmed cases of SARS -- 53 of them in Canada as of last week -- concerns are mounting over where the disease will surface next.

Terry Creagh, Baffin regional communicable disease co-ordinator, said the risk of SARS in Nunavut is low.

"There's always a small risk, but it is contact generated," she said. "Everybody had to be in direct contact with someone who was sick."

As minute as the risk may be, health officials are being watchful for any possible cases.

Chief medical officer Geraldine Osborne said the government is following procedures outlined in the territory's influenza response plan.

The plan, which outlines procedures and guidelines for handling flu outbreaks, was finalized this year.

One of those procedures includes quarantining people with the disease to prevent it spreading to the rest of the population.

Creagh said hospitals and health centres all have the necessary equipment to help contain SARS if a case is identified.

As yet, there have been no confirmed cases of SARS in Nunavut nor are any cases under investigation.

Osborne said there have been calls from people who feared they may have symptoms.

She said that it is mainly due to increasing awareness of the illness. It's also still flu season.

"There are a lot of viral respiratory infections going around right now," said Osborne.

If a case of SARS does surface in Nunavut, Osborne said, she is confident the territory has the resources to control the virus.

"If it is identified early and all the control measures are put in place rapidly," she said.

But, she added, like any other worldwide outbreak of a serious disease, it has the potential to cripple the system.

"It only takes one to slip through the net," said Osborne.

WHO has issued a travel advisory warning against all non-essential travel to Hong Kong and China's Guangdong Province.

The warning stems from the fact that most cases are occurring there and doctors are still not sure how virulent the disease really is.