Posted on 04/23/2003 5:57:32 AM PDT by CathyRyan
Taiwan officials are on alert for a possible mass SARS infection in a Taipei hospital.
Seven staff from the Taipei Ho Ping hospital have shown symptoms of the virus and are undergoing medical tests.
They have been taken to another hospital for quarantine and treatment.
In addition, another 61 members of the Taipei Ho Ping hospital's staff, and 12 relatives have been put under quarantine.
The suspected infections were thought to have originated from a woman who visited the hospital on April 7.
The hospital and a nearby primary school were disinfected on Wednesday.
The hospital is refusing to take in new patients, and the outpatient department is closed.
So far there are 29 "probable cases" of SARS in Taiwan.
No SARS-related deaths have been reported and seven patients have been discharged from treatment.
The Taiwanese government on Wednesday started compulsory temperature checks on all passengers entering and leaving the island.
Inbound travellers had to have their temperatures taken since 10 April, but authorities have stepped up the screening in reaction to mounting fears about the spread of the virus.
Anyone whose temperature is higher than 38 degrees celsius faces more detailed questioning and possible quarantine measures.
The government also wants to try to restore people's confidence in flying to the region as travel and tourism industries have been badly affected by the outbreak.
President Chen Shui-bian visited Taiwan University Hospital on Wednesday to thank the medical staff for their struggle against the virus.
Most SARS patients have been treated at that hospital since the first case was discovered last month.
If this is effective in detecting full-blown SARS patients (as well as anyone else with a fever), maybe we should screen passengers arriving from East Asia or Toronto while they wait in line for immigration. While the test cannot catch the SARS incubators/carriers, perhaps it can prevent some of the spread of SARS into the US.
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