INTERNATIONAL. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis has worsened considerably in the past two days, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
As of yesterday, a cumulative total of 2601 cases of SARS, with 98 deaths, have been reported from 17 countries. This represents an increase of 85 cases and nine deaths compared with the last WHO update of 5 April. The deaths occurred in Canada (2), China (4), and Hong Kong SAR (3).
On 4 April, 12 new cases, with no deaths, were reported in China, 11 from Guangdong and 1 from Shanxi. For 5 and 6 April, 21 new cases and two new deaths were reported. This brings the total number of reported cases in China to 1,268, with 53 deaths.
Chinese officials have announced that SARS is being made a high priority for the government. A system of alert and response for early detection and reporting of all emerging and epidemic-prone diseases is being put in place. The government has also begun holding daily press conferences.
The WHO reported considerable anxiety among the international community following the death in Beijing on Sunday of a Finnish staff member of the International Labor Organization. The ILO staff members were in Beijing to attend an international conference. At present it is unclear how the staff member contracted SARS.
Hong Kong continues to report the largest number of new cases, placing some hospitals under considerable strain. In Singapore, the Ministry of Health has reported an unusual cluster of 29 suspected SARS cases in hospital staff from two wards of a single hospital. Of these 4 are probable SARS cases. The onset of the clustering is believed to be 29 March.
In Vietnam, thought to be under control, a probable SARS case was detected in a provincial hospital on 3 April. An additional three probable cases have been reported over the past two days.
The Canadian situation has also worsened. There have been nine deaths in Canada. The largest outbreak has occurred in Ontario, where 87 probable and 92 suspect cases have been reported. British Columbia is reporting three probable and 23 suspect cases, New Brunswick is reporting two suspect cases, Saskatchewan is reporting one suspect case, Alberta is reporting five suspect cases, and Prince Edward Island is reporting four suspect cases.
The worsening situation is causing grave concern to all travel-related industries. The Asian Development Bank estimates that Asian tourism revenue will crash by -60% in the second quarter because of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis.
Bookings for the forthcoming Japanese Golden Week holiday period, a key revenue generating time for Japanese and overseas duty free retailers, are severely down because of SARS, according to Travel Journal International Online.
TFWA’s management committee will meet this week to discuss the impact of the crisis on May’s planned TFWA Asia Pacific exhibition in Singapore. TFWA has been monitoring the situation daily but says there are no plans yet to postpone or cancel the event.
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