SARS UPDATE: January 8, 2004 - Mainland China
To American Citizens in the Shanghai Consular District
The following information was recently provided to the
American official community in China
The Chinese Ministry of Health and the World Health
Organization have confirmed one case of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Guangdong Province and
have since identified one other suspected case, also
in Guangdong. In both cases, local health officials
acted promptly, isolating and treating the patients
and quarantining all their known contacts. To date,
there has been no suspected onward transmission from
either the confirmed or the suspected case. Health
officials report that the first patient is already
recovering well.
With the reappearance of SARS in China, people are
understandably concerned. To date, isolation and
quarantine measures have worked exactly in the manner
they were designed. Provincial and national health
officials are working closely with the World Health
Organization and reporting information promptly. At
the present time, the risk to anyone in the China
Mission is exceedingly low. There is no evidence of
community infection at this time.
Proper personal health and prevention measures are
always advisable. Employees should stay healthy and
rested, wash their hands frequently, and, if they do
find themselves showing a fever or other symptoms,
seek medical help promptly.
SARS UPDATE: April 9, 2003 - Mainland
China
To American Citizens in the Shanghai Consular District
Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC)
At the present time it is unclear if private air evacuation services will
be available to American citizens resident in China who develop a SARS
infection.
Availability of Medical Facilities
As we noted in an earlier announcement last week, the Shanghai Pulmonary Disease
or Pneumology Hospital (for adults) and the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center
(SCMC) have been designated as the hospitals to handle foreigners suspected to
have contracted SARS.
The Consulate’s Health Unit Nurse and other medical practitioners for
the expatriate community visited the Pneumology Hospital on April 3. The
foreigners’ ward is located on the 14th floor of this relatively new
facility. The group toured the hospital and spoke with senior staff about
their procedures for dealing with SARS cases. They determined that the
hospital was adequately prepared to handle SARS cases.
The SCMC is a new, modern hospital that is experienced
in dealing with critically ill children on a daily basis. They have set up
five isolation rooms to handle suspected cases of SARS.
Foreigners in China have contracted SARS
We are aware that approximately nine foreigners have been referred to the
Pneumology Hospital as "suspected" SARS cases. Among these referrals
are two American citizens. Recent press reports note that two foreigners in
Mainland China, a Finnish citizen in Beijing and an American citizen in Shenzhen,
have died due to SARS. For more information, on the situation in Shanghai you
can visit the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau’s Website: http://www.smhb.gov.cn..
Hospital Contact Information
For your benefit, we are repeating the contact information for the hospitals
below: Shanghai Pulmonary Disease Hospital Add: 507 Zheng Min Lu Tel: 6511-5006
Fax: 6511-1298 Shanghai Children’s Medical Center Add: 1678 Dong Fang Lu Tel:
5873-2020 Fax: 5839-3915 At present, the Shanghai government is only reporting
one confirmed case of SARS.
Testing For SARS
Work by medical professionals around the world continues in an effort to
identify a reliable test for determining the presence of SARS. Although several
tests now exist that can determine post facto if a patient has had SARS, there
is as yet no reliable test to tell whether an individual has SARS during the
early stages of the disease. Medical facilities, therefore, continue to rely on
clinical evaluation, which includes the following factors in making a diagnosis:
a) exposure to a SARS patient; b) presence of fever; c) symptoms such as
coughing, breathing difficulties, etc.; d) blood results and/or e) x-ray
results.
Tue, 1 Apr 2003 21:43:26 -0800 (PST)
To American Citizens in the Shanghai Consular District
This is one of an occasional series of messages from
the U.S. Consulate's American Citizen Services unit to
American Citizens registered with the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai.
This Travel Warning is being issued to alert U.S.
citizens that the Department of State has now
authorized the departure, on a voluntary basis, of
non-emergency employees and all family members at the
U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the Consulates General in Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenyang, Guangzhou and Hong Kong
SAR, China as a precautionary measure due to the
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) situation.
The Embassy and all Consulates General remain open to
provide the full range of services to American
citizens and the general public.
The Department is taking this step due to the risks
posed by SARS, the uncertainties of how it is spread
and concerns over our ability to obtain suitable
medical care or evacuate our affected employees and
their families. Presently commercial airlines and
most air ambulance services will not transport SARS
patients.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends U.S. citizens defer elective or
non-essential travel to areas with a large number of
SARS cases, including Mainland China and Hong Kong.
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American Citizen Services
U. S. Consulate General Shanghai
1469 Huai Hai Zhong Lu,
Shanghai, China 200031
Tel: 86-21-64336880
Fax: 86-21-64711148
Passport
Tips
-
Make a copy of your
passport and carry the copy only.
-
Carry your passport
only if you will be traveling away from home over night.
-
With the local area of
your hotel or apartment, most police will accept a copy if you
are asked to produce your passport.
-
If your passport is
lost, it can be replaced much more easily if you have a copy of
your passport photo page.
Travel
Tips
-
When
traveling to a foreign country, always check in with the consulate
and/or American Citizen Services for that country.
-
Overseas
medical insurance is usually very low cost and a wise move.
-
Carry enough
cash. Don't rely only on credit cards and/or travelers checks. During
emergencies cash is king. U.S. Dollars are universally accepted.
Security
Awareness
-
If
you have an uneasy feeling about the place you are in, follow
your instincts. Be observant.
-
Have
a look about, especially when entering a crowded area. You very
well may notice something that tells you trouble is about to
happen.
-
Look
for suspicious people in the area or people that seem out of
place and with their attention diverted. Many people report
after an event having seen someone that caught their attention
and seemed to be particularly focused on something about to
happen.
-
If
you have contacts with local nationals in the country you are
in, don't be afraid to ask them about conditions and especially
about places to avoid.
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