Suspected SARS
cases drop to 1The remaining case involves
a man who has mild symptoms
Hawaii has only one suspected case of severe acute respiratory syndrome, down from six.
Officially, all six are still on the suspected list posted on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, but blood tests at the CDC lab in Atlanta ruled out two cases.
Eliminating one of those cases also knocked out two others who were the patient's caregivers.
The CDC confirmed yesterday it is ruling those out.
Of the two remaining suspect cases, one was a merchant seaman who was diagnosed March 22 in Washington state.
He had not been in Hawaii, but his case was listed in Hawaii because he gave that as his residence, said state Epidemiologist Paul Effler.
The lingering suspected case involves a man who arrived April 22 from Shanghai, developed mild respiratory symptoms and went to a clinic the next morning.
He is isolated at the home of relatives and is feeling better, said Laura Lott, state Department of Health spokeswoman. Test results from his blood samples should be back from the CDC this week, she said.
Effler has said he did not think any of the suspected cases would be confirmed as SARS because the illnesses were minor and the patients recovered.
The CDC reported an international total of 5,663 cases of the flulike virus and 372 deaths as of yesterday.
The United States has had 52 cases and no deaths.
State Health Department
Centers for Disease Control
World Health Organization
Canada Health Department
Hong Kong Department of Health