Hundred quarantined to prevent new Sars outbreak
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) Authorities have ordered nearly 500 persons quarantined in the capital and southern province of Anhui. The preventive measure was taken to avoid a new outbreak of Sars, after the government admitted to new cases of infection.
The measure was taken with particular regard to the Chinese holiday season that begins May 1, the day millions of citizens begin traveling throughout the country.
Just before the "week of gold" the seven day May 1-7 vacation period Chinese leaders must decide whether to cancel or reduce the number of holidays to prevent a possible outbreak or "exportation" of the virus or to keep the days as they are in order to avoid severe economic losses.
Last year, when the Sars crisis erupted for the first time, Chinese authorities cancelled the holidays. The Communist Party newspaper, The People's Daily, reported that "vigilance of a Sars epidemic has increased in view of the week of gold holiday period."
Health Ministry officials have urged the country's population to stay calm, stating that the situation was still under control and that cases of infection were limited.
Meanwhile the World Health Organization announced it will send a team of experts this week to verify if the Sars medical research laboratory in Beijing (where it is thought the virus was re-launched) is effectively to blame for the new cases of sickness.
New breeding grounds for the fearful virus were reported last week, with 2 new confirmed cases, 6 suspected and 1 death. The laboratory was closed Apr. 24 and hundreds of employees were placed in isolation. (MR)
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21/12/2004
