First SARS Case Confirmed in New Zealand

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, April 29, 2003

First SARS Case Confirmed in New Zealand

New Zealand has had its first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Health Ministry announced Tuesday.

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New Zealand has had its first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Health Ministry announced Tuesday.

The ministry said a woman, discharged Monday from the isolation unit at Hawke's Bay Hospital after 10 days in seclusion, fitted the criteria for having the syndrome.

Director of Public Health at the Health Ministry Colin Tukuitonga said in a statement that following discussions with the SARS technical advisory group, details of the case were forwarded to the World Health Organization (WHO).

"The consensus is that she fits the criteria and so will be notified to WHO as a probable SARS case," he said.

More than 300 people worldwide have died of SARS while more than 5000 have been infected, but Tukuitonga said the announcement should not cause alarm.

"We can actually take a great deal of reassurance from the way the case has been handled to date.

"The risk to other people has been minimal, because both the patient and all the health professionals involved have been scrupulous in their attention to infection control."

He said the woman, who had been part of a tour to China, knew about SARS and stayed away from other people when she returned home.

When she became unwell two days later she called her doctor who alerted Hawke's Bay Hospital.

Tukuitonga said that, within 20 minutes, the hospital was in contact with the woman and she was admitted by staff wearing protective clothing.

Every attempt had been made either by the Hawke's Bay medical officer of health or her counterparts in other district health boards to contact other members of the tour party, he said.

Tukuitonga said the woman was well enough not to require intensive care and while she was discharged she was keeping away from public life.

"The system has worked extremely well and I commend all those involved - including a very aware and motivated patient."

Tukuitonga said Hawke's Bay District Health Board SARS response team was this afternoon advising staff of the probable SARS diagnosis.

Public health staff were advising other tour group members and reiterating the need to be vigilant for symptoms and what to do if they arose.

However, as the group had now been back in the country for 10 days - the internationally accepted incubation period for SARS - the chance of more cases among this group was slight.

"We've always known that sooner or later we would probably have to deal with SARS in this country. We have benefited from having the time to learn from other countries' experience, and get systems and processes in place for dealing with it," Tukuitonga said.

Acting Prime Minister Michael Cullen said Monday that New Zealanders should not panic if a SARS case was confirmed.

"Proper control measures and proper quarantine measures should, with any luck, be able to deal with this particular situation," he said.

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