Suspected SARS case no cause for alarm

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 28, 2003

Suspected SARS case no cause for alarm

A leading Chinese scientist said in Guanghzhou Saturday that it was unnecessary to be alarmed at the report of China's first suspected SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) case since July.

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A leading Chinese scientist said in Guanghzhou Saturday that it was unnecessary to be alarmed at the report of China's first suspected SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) case since July.

"It is not unexpected that a few cases of suspected SARS have been reported, since it is not likely that the SARS virus will die out so soon after its emergence," said Prof. Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, who has been fighting SARS since late last year.

"Nevertheless, this new suspected SARS case should arouse our attention," Zhong said.

A 32-year-old freelance TV station worker was confirmed Saturday by the Chinese Ministry of Health to be a suspected SARS patient in this capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

"The case does not seem to be infectious, and the patient is recovering very quickly," Zhong said. "But anyone who has long-lasting fever symptoms or lung inflammation should see a doctor immediately."

"His condition is stable," said a doctor at the No. 8 People's Hospital where the suspected SARS patient is receiving treatment in quarantine. His temperature has been normal over the last three days, the doctor said.

However, the health authorities and doctors have yet to know how the patient became infected in the first place.

Wang Zhiqiong, deputy head of the Guangdong provincial health department, said that the patient claimed that he had not left Guangzhou or eaten wild animal meat for one month before hospitalization.

The health authorities have strengthened protection of local medical workers. The patient's living environment and residence have been sterilized to counteract possible infection.

In another development, the health authorities in Shanghai, China's biggest city, have been on high alert after Guangdong reported the country's first suspected SARS case since July.

"We are fully prepared for any SARS epidemic," said Zhang Shengnian, director of the Shanghai Municipal Diseases Prevention and Control Center.

To date, those who have had close contact with the patient have shown no abnormal syndromes, such as fever. But they are still in quarantine, as a precaution.

The Ministry of Health has sent a team to Guangzhou to help deal with the suspected SARS case, after receiving a report from the province.

This is the first suspected SARS case discovered since May 23, when the World Health Organization lifted the SARS-related travel advisory against Guangdong Province.

The first SARS case emerged in Foshan City, also in Guangdong, in November 2002.

Chinese mainland's last two SARS patients were discharged from hospital on August 16 in Beijing, after more than 100 days of medical treatment.

During the outbreak, a total of 5,327 SARS cases were reported on the Chinese mainland, 4,959 of whom were cured and discharged from hospital. The death toll from the disease stood at 349. Of the total figure, 2,521 SARS cases and 193 deaths from the disease were reported in Beijing.

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