Epidemics & economics

A few weeks ago, Asia's leaders thought SARS would fade away. Now, they are hunkering down for what is shaping up as a new economic crisis. Travel, tourism, and retail industries have already been hit hard. Hotels are empty, airlines are grounding flights, and some small businesses will never recover. But the bigger, long-term question is whether foreign investors will begin to shy away, putting the region's economic model at risk.