Rugby 1, Disease 0

The

global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) continues to rage, with more than 1,500 people infected — and 54 dead — in 13 countries, including at least 50 suspected cases in the U.S. Dr. Carlo Urbani, the World Health Organization doctor who first identified the outbreak, died of the disease last week. There was hopeful news as travel curbs helped contain the illness and investigators announced they had identified a new virus, part of the coronavirus family (linked to the common cold), as the likely cause. But some of that progress could come unraveled, thanks to a decision by Hong Kong officials to go ahead with last weekend's annual rugby tournament and play host to teams from 24 countries.

With more than 400 cases of SARS, Hong Kong is second only to China as a hotbed of the disease. Some medical officials had called for the rugby event's cancellation, warning that SARS is spread by saliva droplets — in rich supply when you pack tens of thousands of loud, hard-drinking rugby fans together. But the games went ahead, with 25,000 fans attending Saturday.

Initially fans were to be offered surgical masks, but there has been such a run on them in the skittish city that too few were available. Instead, bandannas were distributed, which fans were told to wear over their mouths. Few complied. "It was probably the most unhealthy place on the planet," said Kevin Bowers, a Hong Kong resident who attended the tournament. "I didn't take any precautions. But I'm not worried."

Hong Kong officials apparently felt they could not afford to cancel a popular event that would boost a tourism industry in free fall: bookings for the Easter holidays are down 30%. The rugby games helped those numbers, at least for a weekend. It will take a week — the SARS incubation period — before doctors will know whether there's a price to pay for it.