VARIOUS: Chinese Health Minister's press conference to assure the public about the SARS virus /Taiwan criticises Chinese government
Record ID:
838478
VARIOUS: Chinese Health Minister's press conference to assure the public about the SARS virus /Taiwan criticises Chinese government
- Title: VARIOUS: Chinese Health Minister's press conference to assure the public about the SARS virus /Taiwan criticises Chinese government
- Date: 3rd April 2003
- Summary: CU: OF PICTURE OF MAN WEARING MASK ON THE FRONT OF A NEWSPAPER
- Embargoed: 18th April 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA / TAIPEI, TAIWAN
- City:
- Country: Taiwan
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVADRJ36AFQJ8H7ODTJVS0XM3K24
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Criticism has been mounting against the mainland
Chinese government for lack of action aimed at curbing the
spread of SARS. While most neighbouring countries have stepped
up health checks in various ports of entry, people travelling
within China do so with hardly any protection.
At Beijing Airport, domestic flights continue to run
as usual without any delays, including those from Guangzhou
where the virus is thought to have originated.
Hardly anyone coming out of the baggage claim area were
seen wearing face masks as recommended by doctors.
Since the initial outbreak four months ago, state media
has kept a deathly silence, leaving citizens uneducated to the
dangers of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Even though the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued
a global warning against travel to Guangdong - the southern
province where Guangzhou is the capital - and neighbouring
Hong Kong, Chinese citizens continue to travel to and from the
stricken area without any protection and precaution.
Airports in China, unlike other countries such as Thailand
and Malaysia, have not taken any special measures to
quarantine travellers from affected areas or those with
suspicious symptoms.
Foreign health experts have criticised China for being
slow to announce cases and for initially barring the WHO team
from visiting the province which has reported more than half
of all global deaths and infections from SARS.
So far, SARS has killed 81 people and infected nearly
2,400 worldwide.
WHO said the outbreak may have peaked in Guangdong, where
the virus first surfaced last November and jumped to Hong
Kong, then to countries as far as Australia and Canada.
Most travellers continue to fly without face masks despite
the increased chances of catching the deadly pneumonia through
airplane ventilation.
"I flew four times in just the past three days. There's
nobody wearing face-masks on the airplane and I didn't wear
one either. There's nothing to be afraid of," said Ms. Wang, a
marketing executive, who had just stepped off a morning flight
from Guangzhou.
Only foreigners could be seen making efforts to ward off
the airborne virus, but even for them, it's business as usual.
"It's necessary for work, airplane is not the best place
during the period, but it's necessary for our job," said Mario
Botta, an Italian telecom engineer working in China, who has
flown on domestic flights to the affected area many times
since the outbreak.
On Thursday (April 3), Health Minister Zhang Wenkang
(pron: djang when kang), held a news conference to assure the
public that there was no danger in China.
"The epidemic of the atypical pneumonia has been put under
effective control in localised areas in China. China has
accumulated positive and valuable experience in disease
prevention and treatment. People in China, including people in
Guangdong are living and working normally and in an orderly
fashion. It is safe to come to China to work, to travel or to
attend conferences," said Zhang.
At Beijing's news-stands, some newspapers carried stories
on prevention, while most assuaged the fears of the public by
declaring the disease under control.
But due to the previous lack of information, rumours have
abounded, frightening residents with baseless information.
"For example, I've heard that SARS is incurable and that
some who have caught it have come up to Beijing to spit on
people and spread the disease. I heard a lot of evil rumours
like that," said Li Lihua, 20-year-old shop attendant.
As internet population in China experiences explosive
growth, many rumours are transmitted through chatrooms and
informal website forums.
Some regular Internet users explain that vinegar can kill
the SARS virus and that people should use it to disinfect flat
surfaces.
SARS was first seen in China late last year but has
quickly spread around the globe by travellers.
China's manner of handling the SARS crisis has come under
criticism, especially from arch-rival Taiwan.
On Thursday, Taiwan's Department of Health said a
Taiwanese man who flew from Beijing to Seoul and then to
Taipei last month has been diagnosed with SARS, bringing the
number infected on the island to 15.
"I think China has been very, very secretive and the
co-operation with WHO is very inadequate. And of course the
fact is the first case , the first outbreak in China we can
trace back to 3 months and then now, the Minister of Health
Department says that from April 1st they are going to do a
daily report to the WHO. So from the outset of the outbreak to
now they want to do a daily report, I think it's about 3 weeks
apart. So I think that's not really a sign of a civilised
country should do," said Dr. Nhen Fu-Shiung, a lawmaker and
founder of Taiwan's Medical Professionals Alliance.
Regular patients at a local hospital were seen wearing
face masks as they awaited their turn in the emergency room.
Street vendors have been selling face masks as little as
10 U.S. cents apiece.
Taiwan has diagnosed 15 people with SARS and says another
15 are suspected to have the mysterious flu-like virus.
With 105 people reporting to authorities that they may
have SARS, fears are growing that Taiwan's strong business and
trade links with China mean that the disease will likely
spread.
About a million Taiwanese people, or five percent of its
population, live or work in China.
So far, cases have appeared across Europe and Asia, Canada
and the United States.
The virus can cause fever, a dry cough, shortness of
breath or breathing difficulties. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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