The Hindu : SARS alert in hill stations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 28, 2003

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Other States - Himachal Pradesh

SARS alert in hill stations

By Our Staff Correspondent

SHIMLA APRIL 27. With some suspected Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) carriers in the neigbouring States, a number of tourists coming here have started wearing precautionary masks. The very sight of people wearing masks and presence of a number of foreigners here is creating panic among the tourists. The tourists come in abundance from the neighbouring plains of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi during the weekends to various hill stations in the State. The threat of SARS has led to a sharp fall in the tourist inflow this week, according to a number of hoteliers and transporters working here.

The Government has declared a high alert in the State and has established four zonal centres i.e. Zonal Hospital Hamirpur, Zonal Hospital, Mandi, Medical College, Shimla and Medical College and Hospital at Dharamsala, where isolation wards for quarantine of the suspected SARS patients have been established and all the protective equipments have been made available.

Shimla, Kulu-Manali and Dharamsala which headquarters the Tibetan Government-in-exile are some of the hill stations having a considerable presence of foreign tourists. A number of hoteliers and people related to tourism activities are a worried lot.

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SARS alert in hill stations