[EternalHope]

SARS killed nine more people on Tuesday and infected 42.

Of the 42 newly infected patients, 11 were health-care workers.

Yesterday's total of 7 was the previous record for the most killed in a single day.

I have to wonder how much longer we will be able to trust the numbers coming from Hong Kong.

[per loin]

They have all but admitted that they deliberately played with last Thursday's figures. An attempt to finesse the "1000 stricken" headline into a less prominent position in the weekly news cycle.

The continuing infection of health workers bodes ill for the long run. Are the steps that have been taken for isolation ineffective?

[CathyRyan]

Health Authorities Told to Monitor Killer Sars Flu

The Ministry of Health has warned that the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) currently devastating parts of Asia has reached the African continent.

Anne Mugisa writes that the director general of Health Services, Prof. Francis Omaswa, has asked health authorities to assist in monitoring the epidemic at Entebbe airport.

The ministry has also established a hotline, 077-507799, where emergencies should be reported.

Omaswa said travellers from countries where the disease has been reported should report any suspicious symptoms on arrival at the airport.

In a statement, Omaswa said the disease has been reported in South Africa.

Other countries affected are China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore and Japan. A few isolated cases have also been reported in Canada and the USA.

Omaswa said the disease is possibly transmitted through the air and is characterised by an acute sore throat and cough associated with difficulty in breathing, muscular pain and in the later stages, confusion and skin rash.

He also reminded district directors of health services to implement the technical guidelines for control of SARS which he said were circulated to them last month.

"The Ministry of Health would like to assure the public that appropriate action is being taken to monitor the disease and contain it, should it be imported into the country," the statement added.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200304150523.html