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Embassy staff flee SARS outbreak
This story is from our news.com.au network ^
| 4-4-2003
| Editorial Staff
Posted on 04/04/2003 6:05:39 AM PST by vannrox
Embassy staff flee SARS outbreak
From correspondents in Washington
04apr03
THE US has authorised the departure of non-essential personnel and their families from the US Embassy in Beijing and from five consular offices in China as a result of the SARS outbreak.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has killed about 80 people in Asia and Canada.
The US State Department said today it had agreed the withdrawal of diplomatic staff from affected areas.
It said the move was "due to the risks posed by SARS, the uncertainties of how it is spread, and concerns over our ability to obtain suitable medical care or evacuate our affected employees and their families".
The department noted that commercial airlines and most air ambulance services in China would not transport SARS patients.
The consulates affected by the authorisation are in Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenyang, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
The embassy and all the consulates will remain open.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bio; china; consulate; diplomatic; embassy; germ; medicine; outbreak; people; sars; statedepartment; war
Hum.
1
posted on
04/04/2003 6:05:40 AM PST
by
vannrox
To: vannrox
Double hum.
2
posted on
04/04/2003 6:27:47 AM PST
by
Calpernia
(http://www.politicsandprotest.org/attack.swf)
To: Calpernia
triple hum
3
posted on
04/04/2003 6:28:32 AM PST
by
CJ Wolf
To: vannrox
Sooooo, where is the staff going? Back to US?
To: vannrox
nice to visit a thread and get a few hummers.... :)
5
posted on
04/04/2003 6:45:41 AM PST
by
Enemy Of The State
(http://www.dleepow.us/emergency.html)
To: HighRoadToChina; B4Ranch; maui_hawaii; t-shirt; Hopalong; backhoe; Slyfox; Free the USA; ...
This is actually quite funny because while China is trying like mad to play this situation down in order to calm everyone and prevent a severe hit on their economy as what has begun in HK, the US sending it's "non-essential" staff home is making a loud statement to the world!
Sounds like a great way to annoy the Chinese Government.
6
posted on
04/04/2003 6:49:10 AM PST
by
Enemy Of The State
(http://www.dleepow.us/emergency.html)
To: vannrox
Incredible hysteria.
But, on the other hand, the Chinese communists have covered up this disease. It began there last fall and the numbers of cases they announce must be low by many-fold.
7
posted on
04/04/2003 7:08:37 AM PST
by
tallhappy
To: tallhappy
China still giving the WHO investigators a hard time?
8
posted on
04/04/2003 7:09:37 AM PST
by
mewzilla
To: Enemy Of The State
I hope they aren't sending them home connecting in HK.
9
posted on
04/04/2003 8:47:24 AM PST
by
CJ Wolf
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