[John Valentine]

I wonder if the CDC has backed off those "confirmed" cases, becaause as of today, the CDC is reporting 190 suspected and 38 probable SARS cases in the US. None are confirmed, at least as reported...

http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/sars.htm

[EternalHope]

I wonder if the CDC has backed off those "confirmed" cases, becaause as of today, the CDC is reporting 190 suspected and 38 probable SARS cases in the US. None are confirmed, at least as reported...

As far as I know, "confirmed" cases are not being reported by the WHO (or any other group) for any nation.

They are reporting "probable" instead, partly because we still do not have a quick and reliable test that will pick up SARS early in the disease progression. Some of the tests currently used take two WEEKS to get an answer.

Many press reports have translated "probable" into "confirmed", but that is not the actual term used at the source. By going to the source (the CDC in the U.S.), you are getting the correct terminology.