Suspected SARS case in China not confirmed so far: WHO

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 31, 2003

Suspected SARS case in China not confirmed so far: WHO

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The suspected SARS case in southern China has not been upgraded to confirmed case so far and remains as a suspected case only, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday night through its China office.

WHO said in a press release late Tuesday that laboratory experts from the Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH), top scientific institutes in Beijing and WHO have reviewed the latest test results carried out on the patient in Guangzhou, and have determined that the results remain inconclusive.

"Consequently, experts recommend that further tests are needed," said the organization in the press release.

It said the Chinese Health Ministry has decided that samples will be sent to a laboratory that is part of the WHO internationalreference network. "WHO believes that carrying out tests at multiple labs enhances the testing process," according to the press release.

A joint MOH-WHO expert team arrived in Guangzhou Monday afternoon. WHO said that the epidemiological investigation continues in Guangdong Province.

According to the Chinese Health Ministry, the 32-year-old male patient remains isolated in hospital. His condition is stable, andhis temperature has been normal for the past several days.

All his relevant human contacts identified so far are well. Some have already been removed from medical observation. Others remain in quarantine, but are expected to be released over the next few days as the 14-day observation period mandated by China's health authorities draws to a close.

WHO said ever since it was informed of the case on December 26,2003, the Chinese Health Ministry and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention have met daily with WHO officials, and provided a comprehensive list of information, including the patient's clinical history and test results.

The Ministry of Health said Tuesday that results from tests on a man with a suspected case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Guangdong have not confirmed whether he has actually contracted the deadly virus.

"The Ministry of Health will tell the public as soon as the final investigation results come out," Mao Qun'an, spokesman for the ministry said.

However, some local health experts from Guangdong have reportedly said that the 32-year-old television producer had been confirmed as a SARS patient.

But final and authoritative results have not been reached by experts from the ministry and local health authorities, Mao said.

To help the investigation along, clinical and epidemiology experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) met with Chinese experts in Guangzhou and Beijing yesterday to analyze test results, Mao said.

He added that these findings were not sufficient to reach a solid conclusion and that further tests were needed.

Doctors from the hospital in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, said that the patient, surnamed Luo, has had a normal temperature for nearly a week and was in stable condition.

None of the 81 people quarantined after having contact with him had shown any SARS symptoms, such as a high temperature or breathing difficulty.

The man was first diagnosed with pneumonia in one of his lungs on December 16, and was officially reported as a suspected SARS case last Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Technology said that, together with some other ministries concerned, it would tighten laboratory safety for those handling cases of SARS, following a meeting held in Beijing yesterday.

According to the new rules, any SARS-related studies must be conducted within officially approved laboratories, and researchers must pass safety training and get qualification certificates before they enter their laboratories.

Also, all samples of the SARS virus in China are to be sent to several official laboratories, such as the one located at the Chinese Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, which can meet strict safety standards to keep the deadly virus.

In order to ensure the public stays informed, the Ministry of Health will begin releasing information on the spread of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and SARS, as well as health accidents in the weeks to come.

The ministry will make this information public on its web site(www.moh.gov.cn) or through other channels, including various media outfits.

By People's Daily Online

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