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