No one who has been in contact with the 44-year-old man in
Taiwan infected with SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) has
become ill, officials told China Daily Thursday
They believe it is more and more likely that everyone who was in
contact with the man -- both in Taiwan and Singapore -- has been
identified, including during the period in which the man was
traveling.
Those who have been identified are now being observed. None has
shown any signs of the disease.
An preliminary investigation, Taipei health officials reported,
indicates the patient -- a medical researcher -- was likely exposed
to the virus in the laboratory setting on December 5.
The scientist then traveled to Singapore to attend a conference
from December 7 to 10, and returned about noon on December 10. He
began to feel sick that day and immediately knew to place himself
at home in quarantine.
On December 16, he phoned for an ambulance and was admitted to a
local hospital with a fever.
As many as 73 people who may have been in contact with the
infected man when he was visiting Singapore have been isolated,
Peter Cordingley, a Manila-based World Health Organization (WHO)
official confirmed in a telephone interview.
All appear healthy, he said.
He said today will be the last in a standard isolation period if
no one shows SARS symptoms.
The latency period for SARS, from the time a person is infected
to symptoms appearing is about 10 days on average. It has been10
days from the time when the infected man left Singapore.
He said the WHO had yet to receive a full report from Taiwan
authorities about traced contacts there – a requirement vital for
knowing for certain all encounters are investigated.
Taiwan health authorities yesterday told reporters they have
found about two dozen people who were in contact with the man
either in transit or in Taiwan and have put them under strict
quarantine.
They include Zhan's relatives and family members, all of whom
are in good health.
Taiwan health authorities said the patient's fever was brought
down yesterday after effective treatment.
As an emergency measure, Taiwan authorities have asked all
travelers to have their temperatures checked as they enter and exit
Taiwan. The measure will be carried on until December 31 if no new
cases are discovered.
"At the moment, this appears to be an isolated incident,'' said
Henk Bekedam, a WHO representative in Beijing.
The WHO has repeatedly asked all its member countries to ensure
that SARS specimens be catalogued and their storage controlled in
appropriate safety-level laboratories.
It also prescribes that all unwanted or unneeded specimens be
properly destroyed as soon as practicable.
China's Ministry of Health has issued an emergency notice to ask
all relevant institutes to strengthen management of SARS virus
samples.
All such samples must be kept in institutes approved by the
health authority.
The ministry will soon send a panel of experts to inspect safety
conditions at all the SARS virus sites.
(China Daily?December 19, 2003)