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Archives | News Archives 2004: Page 1 | News 9 January 2004

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• Confirmed case of community acquired SARS in Guangdong province, China
  

Confirmed case of community acquired SARS in Guangdong province, China

On 5 January 2004, China and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new laboratory-confirmed case of SARS in Guangdong province in southern China.

The case, a male aged 32 years who is a television producer from Guangdong province reportedly became unwell on 16 December and was subsequently hospitalised.  He has now fully recovered and was discharged from hospital on 5 January.  The case had no known risk exposures for SARS.  All known contacts have been traced and are reported to be healthy.  Further information on this case can be found at:
<http://www.wpro.who.int/public/press_release/Press_List.asp>.

As highlighted in the WHO press release, this is an isolated confirmed case and does not constitute an immediate public-health risk. There is no evidence of secondary spread and travel to all areas of China including Guangdong Province remains safe.

On 8 January, WHO reported a suspect SARS case in Guangdong province. The case, a female aged 20 years who works in a restaurant in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, has been treated in isolation since 31 December 2003.  Epidemiological investigations and laboratory tests are under way.

A WHO team has been sent to Guangdong province to investigate the potential source of infection of the confirmed and suspect case.  Further information can be found at <http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/index.html>.

The HPA is staying in close contact with the Department of Health and WHO to monitor the situation. The level of risk in the United Kingdom remains very low and current surveillance for possible SARS cases remains unchanged.