More SARS Two Oahu women who traveled in northern China last month have been identified as possible victims of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bringing the Hawaii count of "suspect cases" to five.
cases suspected
A pair of victims may have
picked up the mystery virus
while traveling in ChinaBy Mary Adamski and Helen Altonn
madamski@starbulletin.com haltonn@starbulletin.comOne woman was expected to be released today from a Honolulu hospital, and the other did not require hospitalization, according to the state Department of Health.
State epidemiologist Paul Effler said state officials knew previously about the two women, who returned from a tour in mid-March. But they were not counted until Friday when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded the alert from covering travel in certain Chinese provinces to anywhere in mainland China.
Although the women's symptoms meet the clinical definition of SARS, officials learned that other members of their tour group started the trip with respiratory ailments, which are common this time of the year, he said.
All five Hawaii residents have either fully recovered or are expected to do so, and none of the cases have been confirmed by the CDC, Effler said. More than 1,600 suspected cases have been reported worldwide to date, with 59 deaths attributed to the dangerous respiratory ailment. The CDC reported 62 cases in the United States -- and at least 35 cases in Canada -- but the majority have been in Asia, where the illness is believed to have originated.
Gov. Linda Lingle said the state is watching for patients showing symptoms of the infection that has prompted warnings against travel in parts of Asia. State health officials are not "overly concerned," she said. "If they should, at any time, believe that there is a case of SARS, the public will know about it immediately."
State Health Director Chiyome Fukino said the department "is maintaining increased surveillance, contacting 45 health facilities every day looking for suspect cases or increases in the number of respiratory ailments."
Effler said earlier that three suspect cases on Kauai were probably not SARS because they had minor symptoms and completely recovered, but reported them to the CDC because of the broad definition of SARS. A Kauai resident who traveled to Hong Kong was hospitalized at Wilcox Memorial Hospital, and two nurses came in contact with the patient. One nurse was hospitalized, but the second one was not. All recovered after mild symptoms.
Locally based CDC officials have been asked if they can help work on SARS, said Dr. Jessie Wing, CDC medical officer who heads the Health Department's TB Control Program.
Wing said she does not know yet what she and Jason Nehal, public-health adviser here from the CDC, may be asked to do.
According to the CDC, suspect cases must meet the following criteria:
>> Fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.U.S. officials believe the illness comes from a new form of coronavirus, which causes about one-fifth of all colds. No test has been developed to identify the illness, and there are no known effective drugs or treatments.>> One or more respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing.
>> Either close contact with a person diagnosed with SARS, or recent travel to areas where SARS has been documented.
State Health Department
Centers for Disease Control
Hong Kong Department of Health