SARS might strike back in November: Govt<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia is on alert over the possible return of the deadly
\nSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in the region in
\nNovember, a top government official said.<\/p>\n
\"The WHO (World Health Organization) has warned us, and other
\ncountries, that SARS might return in November because the
\nprevious outbreak began at that time,\" the head of Surveillance
\nEpidemiology at the Ministry of Health, Azimal, told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
In November of last year, SARS began to break out across the
\nworld but after about eight months the number of cases declined.
\nIt infected 7,452 people and claimed 813 lives, largely in China,
\nHong Kong, Taiwan, Canada and Singapore.<\/p>\n
\"We maintain precautionary measures at 29 entry points around
\nthe country,\" said Azimal, referring to screening procedures
\nimplemented at airports, seaports, and other points of entry.<\/p>\n
Special attention will be given to Soekarno-Hatta airport in
\nJakarta, Hang Nadim airport in Batam, Ngurah Rai airport in the
\nBali capital of Denpasar and Polonia airport in Medan, North
\nSumatra.<\/p>\n
\"We are concentrating on people who are coming into the
\ncountry because last time there was no chain of infection of SARS
\nwithin the country\" he said.<\/p>\n
The most likely source of infection would come from those
\ntraveling from SARS-affected countries and displaying SARS
\nsymptoms, such as fever and sore throat.<\/p>\n
\"Isolation rooms, set up to handle SARS, are ready in 30
\nhospitals across the country. Four more hospitals will follow,\"
\nAzimal said.<\/p>\n
\"While no one needs to be isolated, the isolation rooms can be
\nused for other purposes\", he added.<\/p>\n
The SARS surveillance team, which was established at the peak
\nof the SARS outbreak continues to operate, he said.<\/p>\n
He also reminded people to maintain good health by consuming a
\nbalanced diet with enough vitamins.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, The Straits Times reported the Ministry of
\nHealth in the city state had released a statement reminding all
\nhospitals to continue maintaining precautionary measures against
\nSARS.<\/p>\n
Hospitals require patients to provide their travel history and
\ngeneral practitioners and nursing homes have been urged to brace
\nthemselves for the disease.<\/p>\n
Last week, a SARS-like outbreak spread to a second nursing
\nhome in Vancouver, Canada. But it was confirmed not to have been
\ncaused by the SARS coronavirus, according to David Patrick,
\ndirector of epidemiology at the British Columbia Center for
\nDisease Control, as quoted by the Seattle Post-Intellegencer.<\/p>\n
However, it is possible that it was a SARS-related virus
\nbecause SARS antibodies were found in the patients' bodies.<\/p>\n
Ann Marie Kimball, a renowned University of Washington
\nepidemiologist, cautioned that, nobody knows if SARS will come
\nback, or if it will come back stronger or weaker.<\/p>",
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