3rd SARS case suspected in China

A third case of SARS is suspected in China’s Guangdong Province, further increasing fears that the region may be on the verge of a second outbreak of the as yet cureless SARS virus.

A third case of SARS is suspected in China’s Guangdong Province, further increasing fears that the region may be on the verge of a second outbreak of the as yet cureless SARS virus. The latest patient is a 35-year-old man with no recent history of travel to Hong Kong or of contact with the kind of wild animals believed to carry a form of the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus, The New York Times Web site reported Sunday afternoon. Guangdong officials notified Hong Kong of the suspected case but provided few details. Spokesman for the World Health Organization Ray Wadia said the tests on the 35-year-old man were not yet conclusive. Guangdong province is the region already the origin of two other cases this season, one confirmed as having afflicted a 32-year-old freelance television producer, and one suspected of being the cause of a 20-year-old waitress’ illness. Close to 400,000 people a day cross the border between Hong Kong and the Guangdong province. Hong Kong, in turn, is one of the worlds busiest air traffic hubs, with 70 airlines flying to 130 countries, making the area a particularly important area for scrutiny, officials said. (Source: United Press International, Jan, 2004)