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Taiwan's New SARS Case Raise Questions
By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer
TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's first SARS (news - web sites) case in five months raised serious questions Wednesday about how carefully laboratories are handling the virus. The infected scientist ignored safety guidelines and waited six days before going to a hospital — even though he had a fever. Fears about the virus increased Thursday as Taiwanese health authorities revealed that two colleagues who had had close contact with the scientist are now in the United States. Singapore and Taiwan ordered 95 people into quarantine, including 19 people who had been on an airline flight with the man. Separately in China, authorities have ordered all researchers to hand in SARS samples as a precaution. China's Health Ministry told laboratories to send samples to "designated places for storage" and "demanded that all regions strengthen management of the SARS virus," the official Xinhua News Agency said. It didn't say what laboratories would be affected or how many. China suffered 349 deaths on its mainland from the SARS outbreak, which is believed to have started in the southern Guangdong province. More than 5,000 people were sickened. The infected man, a 44-year-old Taiwanese researcher, had been studying SARS in the island's only "P4 laboratory" — a facility designed for the world's deadliest viruses. Even though SARS is highly contagious, the scientist didn't wear a gown and protective gloves — basic safety gear required by World Health Organization (news - web sites) guidelines, said Dr. Shigeru Omi, the WHO's Western Pacific regional director. "It's a very high-standard laboratory which requires a very strict procedure, but nonetheless he did not wear the gowns and the gloves," Omi told reporters in Manila, Philippines. Officials suspect the scientist was exposed to the virus Dec. 5 when cleaning up contaminated liquid in his lab at the state (news - web sites)-funded Institute of Preventive Medicine in Taipei, said Su Ih-jen, chief of Taiwan's Center for Disease Control. "He was in a hurry to get ready for a conference in Singapore, so he was rushing to finish his disinfection work and was careless," Su said. The scientist had no SARS symptoms when he left for Singapore on Dec. 7, officials said. But hours after his return to Taiwan on Dec. 10, he developed a fever — a key SARS symptom. Su said he doubted the researcher infected anyone in Singapore or on the China Airlines flight home because he was asymptomatic at that point and not contagious. SARS patients usually start infecting others when they develop a fever, he said. But Shih Wen-yi, a spokesman for the disease control center, said officials were having difficulty contacting three Americans, a Japanese and a Singaporean who had been on the flight. Top health officials sought to ease fears that the highly contagious virus would spread. "It looks very much like an isolated event," WHO spokeswoman Maria Cheng said. Still, Singapore quarantined 70 people who had been in close contact with the scientist. Another 22 were put into isolation in Taiwan. Two colleagues went to Singapore with the researcher on Dec. 7 and later traveled to the United States, Shih said earlier. Shih did not say where the colleagues were staying in the United States, but said they planned to return to Taiwan on Friday. Two other colleagues who traveled with the SARS patient have been quarantined, Shih said. Severe acute respiratory syndrome infected 8,098 people worldwide and killed 774 after it was first detected a year ago. Taiwan ranked No. 3 on the global list for deaths and cases, behind China and Hong Kong. One troubling detail about Taiwan's new case was that the scientist waited until Tuesday night — six days after developing a fever — before going to a Taipei hospital for tests. By the time he went to the hospital, he had developed other SARS symptoms, such as a cough and signs of pneumonia. SARS was immediately suspected, and confirmed by genetic tests. The scientist — whose name was not made public — wasn't available for comment Wednesday. Possible disciplinary measures weren't discussed, officials said. Authorities said the scientist properly quarantined himself at home after he developed SARS symptoms Dec. 10. So far, the man's wife, two children and father haven't developed fevers. It was the second SARS case in Asia related to a laboratory — the first was in Singapore in August. That case was the world's first known infection since the WHO declared SARS under control last July. A WHO-led panel of investigators blamed "inappropriate safety procedures" in handling the virus at the Singapore lab, which no longer handles the SARS virus. Henk Bekedam, the WHO representative in China, told reporters in Beijing that the case in Taiwan should alert scientists. "It's a clear reminder again that we have to be extremely cautious working (news - web sites) with the SARS corona virus and there are whole issues about whoever in the whole world is keeping a SARS specimen has to be very careful in dealing with this," he said. |
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Taiwan Sars man 'feared shame' Taiwan's New SARS Case Raise Questions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3333775.stm
A Taiwanese man infected with Sars delayed seeking treatment because he feared bringing "shame" on Taiwan, his father said on Friday. The man, a 44-year-old military scientist identified as Lieutenant Colonel Chan, is now stable. But his father told CTI cable TV that his son: "wanted to die at home because he feared his illness would bring shame to his lab and the country". Lt Col Chan is Taiwan's first Sars victim in five months. He is believed to have contracted the virus in a laboratory accident two weeks ago, before a visit to Singapore. About 75 people in Singapore and about 35 in Taiwan, who came into contact with him, are being monitored, but none has shown signs of Sars. According to his father, Lt Col Chan recognised that he had the symptoms of Sars and stayed at home while his father nursed him. "He finally agreed to go to the hospital after I threatened to kill myself," his father said. "He was thinking of the country. He's a military man, and military men are bound by a natural duty," his father said. Earlier, Taiwanese officials said the man had possibly been negligent in following safety procedures and may not have worn proper gloves or a medical gown while handling the Sars samples. The man is the first person to contract Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) since the island was declared free of the disease in July. A total of 84 people died in Taiwan earlier this year during the deadly Sars outbreak, according to figures from the World Health Organisation. Sars has killed over 800 people in the last year and infected 8,000 more. By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's first SARS (news - web sites) case in five months raised serious questions Wednesday about how carefully laboratories are handling the virus. The infected scientist ignored safety guidelines and waited six days before going to a hospital ? even though he had a fever. Fears about the virus increased Thursday as Taiwanese health authorities revealed that two colleagues who had had close contact with the scientist are now in the United States. Singapore and Taiwan ordered 95 people into quarantine, including 19 people who had been on an airline flight with the man. Separately in China, authorities have ordered all researchers to hand in SARS samples as a precaution. China's Health Ministry told laboratories to send samples to "designated places for storage" and "demanded that all regions strengthen management of the SARS virus," the official Xinhua News Agency said. It didn't say what laboratories would be affected or how many. China suffered 349 deaths on its mainland from the SARS outbreak, which is believed to have started in the southern Guangdong province. More than 5,000 people were sickened. The infected man, a 44-year-old Taiwanese researcher, had been studying SARS in the island's only "P4 laboratory" ? a facility designed for the world's deadliest viruses. Even though SARS is highly contagious, the scientist didn't wear a gown and protective gloves ? basic safety gear required by World Health Organization (news - web sites) guidelines, said Dr. Shigeru Omi, the WHO's Western Pacific regional director. "It's a very high-standard laboratory which requires a very strict procedure, but nonetheless he did not wear the gowns and the gloves," Omi told reporters in Manila, Philippines. Officials suspect the scientist was exposed to the virus Dec. 5 when cleaning up contaminated liquid in his lab at the state (news - web sites)-funded Institute of Preventive Medicine in Taipei, said Su Ih-jen, chief of Taiwan's Center for Disease Control. "He was in a hurry to get ready for a conference in Singapore, so he was rushing to finish his disinfection work and was careless," Su said. The scientist had no SARS symptoms when he left for Singapore on Dec. 7, officials said. But hours after his return to Taiwan on Dec. 10, he developed a fever ? a key SARS symptom. Su said he doubted the researcher infected anyone in Singapore or on the China Airlines flight home because he was asymptomatic at that point and not contagious. SARS patients usually start infecting others when they develop a fever, he said. But Shih Wen-yi, a spokesman for the disease control center, said officials were having difficulty contacting three Americans, a Japanese and a Singaporean who had been on the flight. Top health officials sought to ease fears that the highly contagious virus would spread. "It looks very much like an isolated event," WHO spokeswoman Maria Cheng said. Still, Singapore quarantined 70 people who had been in close contact with the scientist. Another 22 were put into isolation in Taiwan. Two colleagues went to Singapore with the researcher on Dec. 7 and later traveled to the United States, Shih said earlier. Shih did not say where the colleagues were staying in the United States, but said they planned to return to Taiwan on Friday. Two other colleagues who traveled with the SARS patient have been quarantined, Shih said. Severe acute respiratory syndrome infected 8,098 people worldwide and killed 774 after it was first detected a year ago. Taiwan ranked No. 3 on the global list for deaths and cases, behind China and Hong Kong. One troubling detail about Taiwan's new case was that the scientist waited until Tuesday night ? six days after developing a fever ? before going to a Taipei hospital for tests. By the time he went to the hospital, he had developed other SARS symptoms, such as a cough and signs of pneumonia. SARS was immediately suspected, and confirmed by genetic tests. The scientist ? whose name was not made public ? wasn't available for comment Wednesday. Possible disciplinary measures weren't discussed, officials said. Authorities said the scientist properly quarantined himself at home after he developed SARS symptoms Dec. 10. So far, the man's wife, two children and father haven't developed fevers. It was the second SARS case in Asia related to a laboratory ? the first was in Singapore in August. That case was the world's first known infection since the WHO declared SARS under control last July. A WHO-led panel of investigators blamed "inappropriate safety procedures" in handling the virus at the Singapore lab, which no longer handles the SARS virus. Henk Bekedam, the WHO representative in China, told reporters in Beijing that the case in Taiwan should alert scientists. "It's a clear reminder again that we have to be extremely cautious working (news - web sites) with the SARS corona virus and there are whole issues about whoever in the whole world is keeping a SARS specimen has to be very careful in dealing with this," he said. |
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Taiwan Links SARS Case to Torn Trash Bag Taiwan Sars man 'feared shame' Taiwan's New SARS Case Raise Questions
By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer
TAIPEI, Taiwan - A scientist studying how herbs affect SARS (news - web sites) became infected himself when a trash bag leaked liquid containing the virus, the first case of the disease in Taiwan in five months, investigators said. The 44-year-old scientist was cleaning his Taipei lab Dec. 6 when he found a ripped bag, assumed it had been leaking for several days and put it on a trash cart, investigator Chang Shang-tsun said Friday. "The investigators think the researcher thought the virus had already lost its effectiveness," said Chang, an official at National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei. So far, no other infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome have been reported, even though the military scientist, identified only as Lt. Col. Chan, traveled to Singapore for a congress on Dec. 7, a day after being exposed to the virus. More than 100 people who had close contact with Chan in Taiwan and Singapore have been quarantined. The scientist developed a fever and other SARS symptoms on Dec. 10 when he returned from Singapore, Chang said. The scientist, however, risked starting an outbreak by not immediately going to the hospital on his return from Singapore. Instead, he quarantined himself at home until Dec. 16 and relied on his father for food and other care. His father said in a television interview that his son knew early on that he might have SARS. But he delayed going to the hospital because he didn't want to panic the public and disgrace Taiwan. "He was thinking of the country," said the father, who was also identified only by his surname, Chan. "He's a military man, and military men are bound by a natural duty." The father said he pleaded with his son to seek treatment. As the scientist's condition worsened, his father said he threatened to commit suicide if he didn't get help. Severe acute respiratory syndrome infected 8,098 people worldwide and killed 774 after it was first detected a year ago. Taiwan ranked No. 3 on the global list for deaths and cases, behind China and Hong Kong. The local media have criticized Chan for endangering the public by not seeking early treatment. But investigators urged people to recognize his courage and willingness to work with SARS. "This is a fearful virus and there aren't many people willing to handle it," Chang said. The scientist had been studying how Chinese medicinal herbs affect the virus. Chang declined to say whether the laboratory was properly run by the scientist. He said that the researcher will be questioned further once he recovers. "You can't blame him. His workload was very heavy," Chang said. Chang said investigators still have to ask the scientist whether he was wearing protective gloves and a gown. But he said Chan's lab was designed so that researchers do not have to wear such safety gear constantly. Five foreigners — three Americans, one Japanese and a Singaporean _who sat near him on the return flight from Singapore have been located and told to monitor their health, officials said Friday. The Japanese traveler was located in Taiwan where he lives, two of the Americans went to Hong Kong and the other is in the United States, said Shih Wen-yi, a spokesman for Taiwan's Center for Disease Control. They were told to be on alert for SARS symptoms, like a fever, Shih said. Singapore's Ministry of Health said it has found the Singaporean traveler and that he was in good health. Two colleagues of the scientist later flew to the United States but have shown no symptoms. They returned to Taiwan on Friday, officials said. The Taiwan case, its first in five months, has prompted comparisons to the one believed to have played a role in triggering the global outbreak. One of the suspected "super spreaders" in that outbreak was believed to be a 64-year-old doctor from China who attended a wedding last February in Hong Kong — a crowded, regional travel hub like Singapore. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3333775.stm A Taiwanese man infected with Sars delayed seeking treatment because he feared bringing "shame" on Taiwan, his father said on Friday. The man, a 44-year-old military scientist identified as Lieutenant Colonel Chan, is now stable. But his father told CTI cable TV that his son: "wanted to die at home because he feared his illness would bring shame to his lab and the country". Lt Col Chan is Taiwan's first Sars victim in five months. He is believed to have contracted the virus in a laboratory accident two weeks ago, before a visit to Singapore. About 75 people in Singapore and about 35 in Taiwan, who came into contact with him, are being monitored, but none has shown signs of Sars. According to his father, Lt Col Chan recognised that he had the symptoms of Sars and stayed at home while his father nursed him. "He finally agreed to go to the hospital after I threatened to kill myself," his father said. "He was thinking of the country. He's a military man, and military men are bound by a natural duty," his father said. Earlier, Taiwanese officials said the man had possibly been negligent in following safety procedures and may not have worn proper gloves or a medical gown while handling the Sars samples. The man is the first person to contract Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) since the island was declared free of the disease in July. A total of 84 people died in Taiwan earlier this year during the deadly Sars outbreak, according to figures from the World Health Organisation. Sars has killed over 800 people in the last year and infected 8,000 more. By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's first SARS (news - web sites) case in five months raised serious questions Wednesday about how carefully laboratories are handling the virus. The infected scientist ignored safety guidelines and waited six days before going to a hospital ? even though he had a fever. Fears about the virus increased Thursday as Taiwanese health authorities revealed that two colleagues who had had close contact with the scientist are now in the United States. Singapore and Taiwan ordered 95 people into quarantine, including 19 people who had been on an airline flight with the man. Separately in China, authorities have ordered all researchers to hand in SARS samples as a precaution. China's Health Ministry told laboratories to send samples to "designated places for storage" and "demanded that all regions strengthen management of the SARS virus," the official Xinhua News Agency said. It didn't say what laboratories would be affected or how many. China suffered 349 deaths on its mainland from the SARS outbreak, which is believed to have started in the southern Guangdong province. More than 5,000 people were sickened. The infected man, a 44-year-old Taiwanese researcher, had been studying SARS in the island's only "P4 laboratory" ? a facility designed for the world's deadliest viruses. Even though SARS is highly contagious, the scientist didn't wear a gown and protective gloves ? basic safety gear required by World Health Organization (news - web sites) guidelines, said Dr. Shigeru Omi, the WHO's Western Pacific regional director. "It's a very high-standard laboratory which requires a very strict procedure, but nonetheless he did not wear the gowns and the gloves," Omi told reporters in Manila, Philippines. Officials suspect the scientist was exposed to the virus Dec. 5 when cleaning up contaminated liquid in his lab at the state (news - web sites)-funded Institute of Preventive Medicine in Taipei, said Su Ih-jen, chief of Taiwan's Center for Disease Control. "He was in a hurry to get ready for a conference in Singapore, so he was rushing to finish his disinfection work and was careless," Su said. The scientist had no SARS symptoms when he left for Singapore on Dec. 7, officials said. But hours after his return to Taiwan on Dec. 10, he developed a fever ? a key SARS symptom. Su said he doubted the researcher infected anyone in Singapore or on the China Airlines flight home because he was asymptomatic at that point and not contagious. SARS patients usually start infecting others when they develop a fever, he said. But Shih Wen-yi, a spokesman for the disease control center, said officials were having difficulty contacting three Americans, a Japanese and a Singaporean who had been on the flight. Top health officials sought to ease fears that the highly contagious virus would spread. "It looks very much like an isolated event," WHO spokeswoman Maria Cheng said. Still, Singapore quarantined 70 people who had been in close contact with the scientist. Another 22 were put into isolation in Taiwan. Two colleagues went to Singapore with the researcher on Dec. 7 and later traveled to the United States, Shih said earlier. Shih did not say where the colleagues were staying in the United States, but said they planned to return to Taiwan on Friday. Two other colleagues who traveled with the SARS patient have been quarantined, Shih said. Severe acute respiratory syndrome infected 8,098 people worldwide and killed 774 after it was first detected a year ago. Taiwan ranked No. 3 on the global list for deaths and cases, behind China and Hong Kong. One troubling detail about Taiwan's new case was that the scientist waited until Tuesday night ? six days after developing a fever ? before going to a Taipei hospital for tests. By the time he went to the hospital, he had developed other SARS symptoms, such as a cough and signs of pneumonia. SARS was immediately suspected, and confirmed by genetic tests. The scientist ? whose name was not made public ? wasn't available for comment Wednesday. Possible disciplinary measures weren't discussed, officials said. Authorities said the scientist properly quarantined himself at home after he developed SARS symptoms Dec. 10. So far, the man's wife, two children and father haven't developed fevers. It was the second SARS case in Asia related to a laboratory ? the first was in Singapore in August. That case was the world's first known infection since the WHO declared SARS under control last July. A WHO-led panel of investigators blamed "inappropriate safety procedures" in handling the virus at the Singapore lab, which no longer handles the SARS virus. Henk Bekedam, the WHO representative in China, told reporters in Beijing that the case in Taiwan should alert scientists. "It's a clear reminder again that we have to be extremely cautious working (news - web sites) with the SARS corona virus and there are whole issues about whoever in the whole world is keeping a SARS specimen has to be very careful in dealing with this," he said. |
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