NZ man with virus is quarantined in Chinese hospital

By MARTIN JOHNSTON AND REUTERS

A New Zealander confirmed as having the deadly Sars virus is in a stable condition in a hospital in northwest China.

New Zealand Embassy staff in Beijing have contacted the man, who has been quarantined in hospital.

They say the 39-year-old, who has lived in Britain for many years and requested anonymity, is in a stable condition with the severe acute respiratory syndrome, which can kill with pneumonia-like symptoms.

"The diagnosis is confirmed as Sars," Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade media adviser Emma Reilly said last night. "He told the embassy person he spoke to he was fine and being looked after well."

The man is the first known New Zealander with Sars. He had been in a 19-member group from Britain which was nearing the end of an eight-day tour to China when he was taken to hospital on Sunday in the city of Xian, capital of Shaanxi province and home of the famed terracotta warriors.

He was detected as a suspected Sars case when he was about to board a plane for Beijing that day.

Provincial health officials asked the airline and the city to register and investigate names and contacts of all travellers who flew with him.

Authorities asked for the hotel where he stayed to be disinfected. Tour guides, bus drivers and those who had close contact with him were quarantined, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

Ms Reilly understood the other 18 members of the tour group had returned to Britain.

"We're not aware of any other New Zealanders on the tour."

Shaanxi province has recorded one other Sars case - a local female resident who was reported on Monday.

Sars has affected 4000 people worldwide and killed at least 251 people in six countries.

New Zealand travel agencies said yesterday that the number of tourists travelling to Hong Kong and mainland China had dropped markedly, but some were ignoring the Health Ministry's March 31 warning to postpone non-essential trips.

Public health director Dr Colin Tukuitonga was disappointed that some were ignoring the warning. "But I guess it's freedom of the individual, and I respect that."

Nothing could be done to stop people returning to New Zealand with Sars, but he doubted if any airline or air ambulance would carry them while they were unwell.

"In the event they got here and were unwell, they would go to hospital and be cared for under existing protocols."

If well enough, they could be put under voluntary home quarantine for the 10-day incubation period, but if they resisted this, they could be detained at hospital compulsorily.