SARS suspect's firm takes no precautions<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus and Moch N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government has declared that a British national who worked in
\nTangerang, Banten, was probably infected by the Severe Acute
\nRespiratory Syndrome (SARS). But it was business as usual at the
\ncompany where he worked as the management and the workers did not
\nseem to be taking any precautions against contracting the virus.<\/p>\n
The British man is an executive of PT Sandrafine Garment
\nfactory that produces shirts under the brandnames of Levis,
\nRocker and Christoper. It is located on Jl. Siliwangi, in
\nJatiuwung district, Tangerang municipality.<\/p>\n
All workers in the production section are obliged to use
\nmasks, but this has nothing to do with protecting themselves
\nagainst SARS. The wearing of masks is a standard procedure
\nimplemented long before the disease came to public attention.<\/p>\n
When The Jakarta Post visited the factory compound on
\nWednesday, none of the workers showed any sign of fears of SARS.<\/p>\n
Some of them even took off their masks as they did not feel
\ncomfortable wearing them in such hot weather.<\/p>\n
One of the factory's 2,000 workers told the Post that the
\nBritish man was about 40 years old and worked as one of
\nproduction managers in the factory.<\/p>\n
\"He had been to Singapore for a week, but when he returned
\n(earlier this month), he complained of flu-like symptoms and was
\ndirectly rushed to Siloam Gleneagles Hospital in Karawaci,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said that the factory manager usually had close contact
\nwith management staff members and supervisors in the factory.<\/p>\n
Asmailus, the company human resource development manager,
\ncould not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n
The British man is the only patient with probable SARS here.
\nHe was transferred from Siloam Gleneagles Hospital to the
\nSulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital in Sunter, North
\nJakarta, on April 9 and is still being treated there.<\/p>\n
According to an official source, the man had traveled to Hong
\nKong and Singapore, before returning to Jakarta on April 2. The
\ngovernment, however, had complained that the patient was not
\ncooperative as he, for example, refused to mention the flight he
\ntook.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Tjandra Yoga, head of the government
\nverification team said there were a total of three suspected SARS
\ncases and one probable SARS case in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
One new suspected SARS patient, an Indonesian, had frequented
\nThailand and Singapore and was being treated at Sulianto Saroso
\nHospital, Tjandra said.<\/p>\n
He also promised to bring the problem of the British man with
\nprobable SARS as well as his company to the daily meeting of the
\ninvestigating team.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile chief of Tangerang municipal health agency Nuriman
\nMachyudin refused to provide any information about the issue. He
\ntold the Post on Wednesday that he was still tracking down the
\nidentity of the British man.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sars-suspects-firm-takes-no-precautions-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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