Health ministry issues travel alert

Health ministry issues travel alert

JAKARTA: The health ministry has asked Indonesian citizens
planning to travel China, Taiwan, Hongkong and Singapore to make
sure they were entirely fit and healthy before going abroad in
the wake of a possible outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS).

The ministry's infectious disease eradication secretary Sjafii
Ahmad said on Monday the ministry issued the travel alert in
response to SARS cases discovered in the foreign countries
recently.

Sjafii said the travel alert followed a meeting between the
ministry officials and SARS experts team on Jan. 9, which also
recommended that health agencies across the country increase
monitoring, particularly in border areas, the hometowns of
migrant workers and tourist destinations.

The ministry has also asked all airports and seaports which
serve as the entry points to Indonesia to use their thermal
scanners to detect passengers infected with SARS.

Sjafii, however, called on the public to remain calm and
contact the nearest community health center or hospital when they
know someone with SARS symptoms. -- JP