27 April 2004: SARS Update

The Ministry of Health in China have reported a total of eight persons clinically diagnosed as having SARS, or who are under investigation for possible SARS.

The index case is a laboratory researcher from the province of Anhui who worked at the National Institute of Virology in Beijing, known to be engaged in research involving the SARS virus. A second confirmed probable case is a nurse who cared for the researcher whilst she was in hospital in Beijing. The suspected and probable cases have all occurred in close contacts, and include the mother of the laboratory researcher who became unwell and died.

The researcher is known to have undertaken several train journeys between Anhui and Beijing whilst unwell and all fellow passengers are being asked to come forward for screening. In addition close to 1,000 contacts have been identified and placed under medical observation.

This chain of recent cases is thought to be linked to a laboratory, and is the third time such an incident has occurred since the WHO declaration of the end of the SARS outbreak in July, 2003. These are the first cases to be reported from China since January 2004 when 3 confirmed cases of SARS were reported.

The Chinese government has commenced screening of travellers at airports and train stations. In addition several other countries have raised their alert level, including Taiwan and Australia.

The risk to travellers is thought to be low at this time, and no travel restrictions to China or surrounding countries have been imposed by the Department of Health, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or the World Health Organisation.

Clinicians should be alert to possible cases of SARS by always taking a travel history from persons presenting with respiratory illness. Further information and UK guidance can be obtained at the HPA and WHO websites:

http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/SARS/menu.htm http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/index.html