RI has new SARS patient, govt traces his contacts
RI has new SARS patient, govt traces his contacts
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta/Medan
The government announced on Wednesday a second probable SARS case
and has been tracing the man's close contacts to prevent any
transmission of the disease.
Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi said the 65-year-old man, a
native of Medan, had been receiving treatment at Adam Malik
Hospital in the North Sumatra capital of Medan since April 21 due
to flu-like symptoms.
"Today, our verification team confirmed that we have another
probable SARS patient who just returned from Singapore," Suyudi
told reporters.
Sjafii Ahmad, spokesman for the verification team, said that
the man had been treated at another hospital in Medan between
April 11 and April 20 due to a high fever after returning from
Singapore on April 7.
Adam Malik Hospital is one of facilities appointed by the
government to treat possible SARS cases.
The team declared the person a probable SARS patient as he had
a fever of over 38 degrees Celsius, was coughing, and a chest X-
ray showed signs of pneumonia. He had also traveled to Singapore
-- one of SARS-affected areas.
Sjafii said the SARS investigating team was now tracing the
patient's close contacts.
"So far, we are closely monitoring five of his family members
and doctors in the hospital where he previously was treated. We
are also tracing his flights, his hospital in Singapore and other
close contacts," he said.
The team is now observing another person, who just returned
from Malaysia and is now being treated at the Sulianti Saroso
Infectious Diseases Hospital in North Jakarta after showing
symptoms of SARS.
Meanwhile, Tjandra Yoga, head of the verification team said
that the previous probable SARS case, who had fled to Hong Kong,
was still reported to WHO as a probable SARS case from Indonesia.
"We have two probable SARS cases reported to WHO, although the
first patient has fled to Hong Kong," he said.
AFP reported SARS has claimed 234 lives and infected over
4,281 people worldwide, but WHO reported only 229 deaths and
3,947 probable cases due to belated reports by national health
offices.
In Medan, Mayor Abdillah instructed the municipal health
office to monitor people near the house of the new probable SARS
patient.
"I have asked people to remain calm despite the case, but
please be aware of the possibility of the spread of SARS," he
told the Post.
Abdillah gave has assurance that all SARS patients would be
given free treatment at the hospital.
He also called on people to wear masks in public places and
reduce visits to shopping malls, hotels and hospitals.
In a bid to prevent a SARS outbreak in the country, Tjandra
Yoga suggested that the government seek international help,
including establishing a joint commission to share information
about SARS.
"We need to speed up information exchange with other countries
particularly with Singapore and Hong Kong," he said.
Indonesia will send a delegation to a ministerial meeting in
Kuala Lumpur on Friday and a summit in Bangkok next week, both on
SARS and various joint measures to cope with the disease.