CDC Issues Health Alert Notice for Travelers to USA from Hon
The Centers for illness Control & Prevention on saturday commenced distributing cards at airfields receiving flights returning at once from hong kong caution travelers returning to the united states from hong kong & Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China & Hanoi, Vietnam that they may have been exposed to cases of serious acute breathing syndrome .
The cards are being distributed by quarantine officers at Chicago, O’Hare world airfield ; LA ; old York town, JFK international airfield ; Newark ; & San Francisco. These airports are the only U.S. Airfields receiving direct flights from hong kong. No U.S. Airports receive direct flights from Hanoi or the Guangdong Province. CDC officials expect to expand the distribution of cards to harbor, Alaska & the territory of Guam later today.
The cards also offer steering engineered to assist doctors in making a diagnosis by advising travelers to inform their consultants about recent travel to the affected regions, & whether they have been in contact with individuals who displayed symptoms of SARS.
The travel cards warn those returning from the 3 areas that they should monitor their health for a minimum of a few days. They’re also suggested to contact their physicians if they become ill with a fever accompanied by a cough or difficulty in breathing.
The CDC advises consultants & other clinicians to stay alert for travelers who:
As of March 15, 2003, the CDC had received reports of SARS cases in HK & Guangdong Province, people’s republic of China ; Hanoi, Vietnam & Canada, Singapore & Thailand. For that reason the World Health Organization has issued emergency guidance for travelers & airlines so that persons displaying evidence of the illness can receive immediate health care & can be brought to the eye of public health authorities. These individuals are also advised against travelling while ill.
Have a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher ;
one or more symptoms of respiratory sickness including cough, shortness of breath, problem in breathing, hypoxia ( insufficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching tissues of the body ), X-rays indicating the presence of pneumonia, or respiration trouble ; &
one or more of the following:
History of travel to HK or Guangdong Province, people’s republic of China, or Hanoi, Vietnam within 3 days of symptom onset ;
Close contact with folks with breathing illness having the described travel history. Close contact includes having cared for, lived with, or had direct contact with respiratory secretions & body liquids of someone with SARS.
Additionally, airlines should:
Alert the destination airport of any passengers meeting the case definition criteria ;
Arriving passengers who are symptomatic should be referred to health authorities for assessment & care ;
The passengers & crew should provide all contact info for how passengers can be reached for the successive 14 days to airport health authorities.
Aircraft passengers & crew should be informed of the person’s status as a suspect case of SARS [*SCO].
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