SARS spread contained - Premier
(April 07,2003 )(China Daily)
The Chinese Government had contained the spread of atypical pneumonia, known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday.
"The central government has paid great attention to the SARS epidemic and has taken a series of prevention and control measures which have achieved obvious progress,'' Wen said as he inspected the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of April 5, a total of 1,247 SARS cases, including 51 deaths, had been recorded in China. The numbers had increased by 57 infections and five deaths on the tally released by Health Minister Zhang Wenkang on April 3.
In Beijing, two foreigners have contracted the disease – the first such infections among non-Chinese nationals in the country since the outbreak began last November in South China's Guangdong Province, Guo Jiyong, deputy director of Beijing Health Bureau, told a press conference jointly held by his bureau and the Ministry of Health.
Wen asked governments at various levels to give top priority to preventing and controlling the disease.
He said China's economy was still growing, society remained stable, and work and home life continued as normal, despite the disease. Most regions in China had recorded no cases of SARS, and where there were infections, the epidemic was under control, Wen said.
"The Chinese Government and people warmly welcome people from various countries to come to travel, visit and do businesses in China, and we will take every possible measure to protect their health,'' Wen said.
A total of 934 atypical pneumonia patients – of the 1190 reported on April 3 – have recovered after receiving medical treatment.
As of Sunday, a total of 2,416 SARS cases and 89 deaths had been reported in 18 countries and regions worldwide. This represents an increase of 63 cases and five deaths since April 4, according to a WHO report.
Most of the newly reported victims of SARS are from Guangdong, said Qi Xiaoqiu, director of the Disease Control Department of the Ministry of Health, at the press conference.
Beijing has recorded 19 cases, including four patients who have died of the disease, Guo Jiyong said.
Pekka Aro, director of the International Labour Organization in Focus Programme on Skills, Knowledge and Employability, died of SARS in Beijing's Ditan Hospital early Sunday.
A Canadian is also being treated for atypical pneumonia in Beijing. But officials have not said anything more about the Canadian.
Every possible effort was made to treat Aro, a 53-year-old Finlander, said Liu Peilong, director of the Department of International Co-operation with the Ministry of Health.
Liu said Aro had been a good friend to China.
"We feel deeply sorrow over the death of Pekka Aro,'' Liu told the press conference.
Aro left Geneva on March 17 and stayed in Bangkok in Thailand between March 18 and 23. He arrived in Beijing on March 23 on a Thai Airways international flight to prepare for a forum on employment.
He came down with a fever and a dry cough on March 28, and immediately went to see doctors at an international medical centre in Beijing.
On April 3, he was diagnosed as a SARS patient by a special medical group including top experts in the disease.
Aro's infection came from outside of Beijing, said Guo Jiyong of Beijing Health Bureau.
Guo said that Aro himself believed he caught the disease during his international flight.
No one who was in contact with Aro after his arrival in Beijing has been found to be infected with SARS, Guo said.
Beijing health authorities have also been following up those who were on the same flight with and in contact with Aro in Beijing and monitoring their health to prevent the epidemic from spreading.
They have been advised to pay more attention to possible symptoms to protect themselves and others, Guo noted.
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