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Reading back over the thread, it is a valid point that some diseases occur more frequently in summer and some occur more frequently in winter. Diseases that like moisture (like ear infections) or depend on mosquitos are generally more summer oriented. Diseases that like crowded dry air (like influenza) and dry mucous membranes spread more in the winter.

However, some diseases, such as norovirus (diarrhea), prefer public bathrooms and hotels and don't really care what time of year it is. SARS seems to be more like norovirus in terms of transmission than influenza. It looks for institutions and crowded living conditions (hotels, hospitals, boats) for transmission.