SARS Death Toll Reaches 64 in Chinese Mainland

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 16, 2003

SARS Death Toll Reaches 64 in Chinese Mainland

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The death toll from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in the Chinese mainland has climbed to 64 as of Tuesday morning, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health Tuesday morning.

The number of reported SARS cases witnessed an increase of 145 from the figure released April 10 to a total of 1.435, the press release announced, adding that the death toll includes 9 more cases than were released April 10.

The regional distribution of reported SARS cases, resultant deaths and patients discharged from hospital is as follows: Guangdong, 1,273 cases, 45 deaths, 1,063 discharged; Shanxi, 82 cases, seven deaths, seven discharged; Beijing, 37 cases, four deaths, eight discharged; Guangxi, 12 cases, three deaths, eight discharged; Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 17 cases, three deaths; Hunan, six cases, one death, five discharged; Sichuan, four cases, one death, three discharged; Fujian, three cases; Shanghai, one case.

The press release also noted that, among the 64 SARS victims, 45 are in Guangdong Province; 7 in Shanxi Province; 4 in Beijing; 3 in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; 3 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; 1 in Hunan Province; and 1 in Sichuan Province.

The Health Ministry said the number of infected patients had increased since April 10 and patients in Shanxi rose by nearly 50 cases. The ministry attributed this to the newly amended diagnostic standards for SARS. The ministry meanwhile sent expert teams to treat the suspected patients. Cases increased due to final diagnoses.

The press release indicated that 1,094 people, or 76.4 per cent of the reported cases, have recovered from SARS in the Chinese mainland, with 1,063 from Guangdong Province; 7 from Shanxi Province; 8 from Beijing; 8 from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; 5 from Hunan Province; and 3 from Sichuan Province.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2,781 cases of SARS and 111 deaths had been reported in 19 countries and regions by Apr. 10, including Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, Ireland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Britain, the United States and Vietnam.

Entry-exit health advice has been given by the Ministry of Health and the State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine Tuesday to travelers to prevent SARS from spreading into or out of China.

Travellers who come into contact with SARS patients should be immediately disinfected. And if necessary, people who have close contact with SARS patients while travelling will also be asked to remain in hospital for further medical observation.

Meanwhile, people entering China and traffic staff should carefully fill out the entry quarantine application card, and should especially give a clear address and telephone number in China for further contact.

The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) is stepping up the precaution measures against the spread of SARS, ordering airport staff to stop suspected SARS carriers from borarding flights. Pilots or crew members, who are thought to have SARS symptoms, will also be sent for examinations before being allowed to resume their duties.

If any passenger is found to have SARS symptoms during a flight, crew members are suggested to isolate the passenger immediately, while ensuring other passenger remain in their seats and take protective measures, like masks.

The patient should be sent to a local hospital as soon as the plane lands.

As one of the compulsory measures in stop the spread of SARS, CAAC also ordered all domestic airlines to issue every passenger with mask and sterile gauze to prepare for any uncertainty.

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