[Timesink]

WHO Advises Travelers to Avoid Hong Kong

12 minutes ago

GENEVA - The United Nations (news - web sites) health agency on Wednesday advised travelers to avoid going to Hong Kong and the Chinese province of Guangdong because of a deadly outbreak of a mystery disease.

The World Health Organization (news - web sites) said it was taking the action because at least nine foreign businessmen have caught Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, in Hong Kong and returned with it to their home countries.

"People who are planning to travel to Hong Kong or Guangdong should consider postponing their travel until another time," said WHO infectious diseases chief Dr. David Heymann.

SARS has killed at least 75 people and sickened more than 1,800, the huge majority in China and Hong Kong.

Until now, the WHO had said that travelers could continue to go to the affected areas but should be aware of the symptoms of the disease and seek medical help quickly if they felt ill.

A number of countries already have advised their citizens to avoid the area, but many others simply followed WHO guidelines.

China on Wednesday reported that there had been 361 new cases of the disease during March, with nine deaths, and two more people died in Canada — a country that was struck by SARS after travelers returned from the region carrying the disease.

Already airlines were reporting that passenger numbers were down on flights to the affected areas, and the alert has had a big impact on Hong Kong business.

WHO has not issued advice to travelers intending to visit other countries hit by the disease. Heymann said the outbreak appears to be under control in Vietnam and work to contain it in Singapore and Canada seems to be succeeding.

[twntaipan]

I read a report from earlier today that said the autopsies in HK (other places?) have revealed SARS causes the deceased to hemorage in the portion of the lungs affected. This is getting scarier and scarier.

[zook]

"Should consider postponing..."

Here's my dilemma. We're in Taiwan this year, and we've planned for months to visit a dear friend, our daughter's godmother, in Beijing. This was to be the highlight of our year here, to see our friend, to visit the Great Wall, etc.

Now this. We're scheduled to leave from Kaohsiung on Friday, passing through Hong Kong airport.

As of now, we haven't cancelled. Why? Here's my [perhaps tortured] logic. We'll have the highest quality surgical masks. We'll be passing through a virtually empty airport. Our plane will be virtually empty. We'll take high precautions while in the airport and on the plane. We note that despite all the warnings, *most people* who have traveled through Hong Kong have not become ill. If we cancel this trip, we really won't have another chance for many years.

Half the people I know here in Pingtung think I'm wrong to go. The other half say, be careful and go.

What a spot to find oneself.