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No cases had been identified Sunday in the United States, although the CDC had received calls about potential cases that are being investigated, Gerberding said

[Mother Abigail]

Monday, March 17, 2003

Health Ministry takes measures as mystery illness' toll rises to 9 worldwide

Global health authorities have gone on alert for a severe type of pneumonia that has killed at least nine people, infected more than 100 and sparked a warning from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Health officials at all Thai airports have been instructed to look for suspect cases among passengers entering the Kingdom, Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said yesterday.
Passengers from China, Hong Kong and Vietnam - where several cases of the mysterious pneumonia have been reported - will be closely monitored, Sudarat said.
She advised Thais to avoid travelling to these three countries as the spread of the disease appeared to be worsening there.

The health minister also said that examination was under way of a flu patient who died last week at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital, a death suspected to have been caused by the fatal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) - an atypical pneumonia whose cause is not yet known.

The results will be available later this week, she added.
Dr Virasak Jongsuwiwatwong, of Prince of Songkhla University's faculty of medicine, appealed to the public not to panic about the mysterious disease. He said he expected efficient control measures would be taken soon after it was identified.