Warden Message
March
18, 2003
THE
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
THROUGH THE EMBASSY WARDEN SYSTEM AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO AMERICAN
CITIZENS IN THE PHILIPPINES. PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE
TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU.
On
Saturday, March 15th, the CDC and the WHO issued a health alert
regarding an illness called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS).
Symptoms
of this illness are similar to flu symptoms in that people infected
have fever, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, and dry cough.
Sometimes it is more severe and patients have shortness of breath
or difficulty breathing.
The
CDC has reported that in the last 7 days, more than 150 new or
suspected cases have been reported and come mainly from Canada
and six countries in Asia (Hong Kong and other locations in China,
Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam).
The majority of patients have traveled to Hong Kong or the Guangdong
Province in the People's Republic of China, or Hanoi, Vietnam
within seven days of the onset of their symptoms.
The
illness appears to be transmitted like the flu and requires close
contact (caring for, living with, or having direct contact with
respiratory secretions or bodily fluids of a person with SARS).
Hospital workers (doctors, nurses, housekeeping staff, laboratory
technicians, and medical students) are at the highest risk.
90% of people affected by this illness are medical workers.
Unless
you have had direct contact with someone who has SARS, your risk
for getting this illness is very low. Many people will have
flu symptoms around this time of year but it is highly unlikely
to be SARS.
If
anyone is concerned about this illness or are exhibiting the symptoms
mentioned above, please contact your doctor.
The
U.S. Embassy Medical Unit has inquired with the Republic of Philippines,
Department of Health. A Public Advisory on Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was published on Monday March 17th
by the Philippine Government. This report states that the only
known Filipino contact of a SARS case in Hanoi does not exhibit
the signs and symptoms of SARS and was discharged from the hospital.
He was hospitalized after returning to Manila on March 11 from
Hanoi. There are no other reported cases in the Philippines
at this time.
For
further information, see the CDC site at www.CDC.gov or the WHO
site at www.who.org.
