China Remains Safe Despite SARS Outbreak

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 09, 2003

China Remains Safe Despite SARS Outbreak

Officials and experts dismissed fears on Tuesday that travel in China's southern provinces could bring a serious risk of contracting atypical pneumonia. They said it is quite safe for people to visit and live in those areas where efforts are ongoing to tackle the disease.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Officials and experts Tuesday dismissed fears that travel in China's southern provinces could bring a serious risk of contracting atypical pneumonia.

They said it is quite safe for people to visit and live in those areas of China where efforts are ongoing to tackle the disease -- known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The majority of cases of the disease appeared in February and March in South China's Guangdong Province but the rate has fallen since then.

The Chinese government has taken active measures to combat the atypical pneumonia disease, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao Tuesday at the regular press conference.

In response to related questions, Liu said relevant Chinese departments has disseminated the latest report on the disease, and prior to that, local governments had publicized information.

With respect to this problem, he said, there's no doubt about the government's transparency.

The Chinese government is trying to offer more information to the public, Liu said.

He said the Chinese side has communicated effectively with the World Heath Organization on the prevention and treatment of the disease and that WHO experts have gone to Guangdong Province to conduct research.

Liu said China hopes that related nations will evaluate the situation scientifically according to the statistics provided by the Chinese Ministry of Health and maintain regular cooperation and exchanges with China.

He said foreigners visiting China are safe as long as they take proper preventive measures.

Chinese tourist groups visiting other nations are not infected with the disease, he said.

There were 1,268 cases of atypical pneumonia in China by April 6, including 53 deaths. Guangdong had recorded 1,203 infections, including 43 deaths.

A total of 53 new cases of atypical pneumonia were recorded between April 1 and 7 in Guangdong, representing an average of 7.57 cases each day, the provincial health department said Tuesday.

Guangzhou, the provincial capital, reported 36 of the 53 new cases. This was 70.2 per cent fewer than in the same period last month, according to Huang Qingdao, director of Guangdong Provincial Health Bureau.

The remaining 17 new cases were detected in seven cities in the province, the health department said.

A Canadian-Chinese couple who contracted the disease recovered two weeks ago. They first developed symptoms of the disease while staying in Macao before returning to Guangzhou, Huang said.

He added that an American patient is now being treated in Shenzhen and his condition is improving.

Huang also pointed out that an epidemic situation like the Amoy Garden in Hong Kong has not occurred in Guangzhou.

"The situation is now under control in Guangzhou,'' he said.

To date, a total of 993 patients have recovered from the disease in Guangdong, accounting for 82.3 per cent of the total number infected -- 3.3 percentage points higher than at the end of last month.

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) have nearly been finishing a five-day field inspection in China and they said Guangzhou remained a safe place for business people and travellers.

"From my personal point of view, I don't really think having business and travelling activities here will be a big risk,'' said James Maguire, one of the five-member WHO team.

The team, sent by the WHO at the request of China's Ministry of Health, arrived in Guangzhou on April 3 from Beijing.

They expected to find useful original data in Guangzhou which could be used as a reference for scientists around the world to discover a possible cure for the disease.

They returned to Beijing Tuesday and are expected to hold a press conference in the Chinese capital where a total of 19 cases had been found by April 6.

Health authorities in Shanghai declared that only one case of infection had been found by April 6 and effective measures have been taken to prevent the disease from spreading in the city.

Christoph Leitl, chairman of the European Chambers of Commerce and Industry, who is making an official visit with a 30-member economic delegation to the city, described Shanghai as safe.

Questions?Comments? Click here

WHO Experts: No Big Risk to Stay in Guangzhou

SARS-related Deaths Rise to 53 in China's Mainland

>> Full Coverage

Chinese Health Groups Update Efforts against SARS ( 6 Messages)

HK Star Leslie Cheung Commits Suicide ( 14 Messages)

Iraq Says It Launches 37 Missiles on Coalition Troops ( 3 Messages)

China Releases US Human Rights Record in 2002 ( 6 Messages)

Seek Hegemony under the Cloak of 'Democracy': Commentary ( 27 Messages)