Date:26/12/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/12/26/stories/2003122601271500.htm

National

Screening for SARS

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI DEC.25. Health authorities have once again mounted a surveillance for SARS at airports, after a scientist in Taiwan tested positive for the virus a few days ago. The screening is being done for passengers arriving from Taiwan. There are three flights from Taiwan to Delhi in a week.

According to officials in the Union Health Ministry, the screening of the passengers is being conducted as a measure of abundant caution so that there was absolutely no possibility for the virus to entering India.

The screening is being conducted as the scientist, who is a senior researcher at the Taiwanese National Defence Medical College, had reportedly come into contact with about 15 persons during the window period between the time he was suspected to have contracted the disease and the time when he was hospitalised. He is suspected to have got the infection on December 5 while working on some samples of the virus and he was hospitalised on December 17.

All the persons who had come in contact with him have since been removed from a special watch list as they have all tested negative for the virus. The screening of air passengers from Taiwan would continue for another four to five days, the officials said.