SARS Checks Stepped Up In Brunei
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Ministry of Health, which took stringent measures last year following the global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), still remains on alert for the deadly virus and has not relaxed any of the precautionary steps based on the guidelines made by the World Health Organisation.

The ministry, in a statement yesterday, said among the steps in force until today is taking the body temperature of passengers entering the country at the international airport and Serasa ferry terminal. Passengers are still required to till up Health Declaration forms.

These measures that are being continued will not be stopped. Following the detection of new SARS cases in People's Republic of China recently, the surveillance here has been intensified especially on passengers arriving from Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

The Ministry of Health is on alert and continues to monitor the current situation concerning the SARS epidemic.

If any SARS case is detected in the country, the ministry besides taking steps based on the plan of action, will also acquire technical assistance and cooperation from the WHO, if required, the statement said.

As precautionary steps, the public has been advised to always practise personal hygiene and keep the environment clean to ward off virus attacks.

In Hong Kong, that was badly hit by SARS last year, hospitals are probing 136 people for the deadly virus, a health spokesman said Monday.

The patients had been placed under watch after returning with a fever from mainland China's southern Guangdong province, where the virus has re-emerged after six months, Hospital Authority spokeswoman Elinda Luk said.

"They are under surveillance for any illness, including the corona virus that causes SARS," Luk said. "It is now routine to check anyone coming back from Guangdong with a fever."

The 136 had been detected by strict new government border checks put in place on January 5 following revelations that SARS had returned to neighbouring China.

Infra-red monitors at borders and airports can detect in passengers high fevers, usually the first hint of SARS.

None of the 136 are yet showing symptoms of the disease and none had been put in isolation, Luk added.

Three people have been confirmed with SARS in Guangdong this year: a 2a-year-old waitress and a 32-year-old TV journalist, who have recovered; and a 35-year-old businessman who has been isolated at a Guangzhou city hospital. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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