Woman in China tour not contacted

By HELEN TUNNAH

Health officials have not made contact with at least one of the tour party who were in China with New Zealand's first Sars case.

The woman, who has been travelling in New Zealand since her return from China, will arrive home today to find telephone messages from her district health board.

Her daughter-in-law told the Herald yesterday she was "appalled" that the woman had been free to wander around the country when one of her travelling companions, a Hawkes Bay woman, had been hospitalised with the deadly virus.

The Sars patient has now been released from an isolation unit at Hawkes Bay Hospital after being confirmed as New Zealand's first probable case of the disease.

She had been to China with 34 others on a tour, and felt unwell when she returned. She was admitted to hospital more than a week ago with a high fever and dry cough, symptoms of Sars.

Health authorities said on Monday and again yesterday that all members of the tour group, who live throughout the country, had been notified.

But at least one North Island woman did not have direct contact with the medical officer designated to find her.

Instead, she phoned the tour group's leader, who asked her if she felt unwell or had Sars symptoms. He then spoke to health workers.

Hawkes Bay Hospital spokeswoman Karalyn van Deursen said there had been one case where a member of the tour group had not gone home after the trip, but was visiting relatives where cellphone reception was limited.

She said health workers were told the woman felt "fit and healthy". The entire group had now been home for more than 10 days, the incubation period for developing the illness.

Medical experts had also advised that people were not infectious before the onset of Sars symptoms, so the group had not been isolated, said Ms van Deursen.

The experts' advice had been that people should be quarantined only if they showed symptoms.

But the woman's daughter-in-law, who asked not to be identified, said the woman had been in touch with other tour members, who also claimed they had not been spoken to by health authorities.

"She's in touch with a few of them and they've all gone back to their normal daily lives.

"I am absolutely appalled at the way this is being handled. She phoned the Sars hotline and she was told it was blown out of all proportion by news reporters."

The daughter-in-law said when the tour group arrived at Auckland Airport they were told they did not have to wear their protective masks anymore because New Zealand was Sars-free.

The group had worn masks throughout their trip to China, and her mother-in-law said the infected woman had been one of the most safety-conscious on the trip.

The woman's criticisms came as National's health spokeswoman, Lynda Scott, said New Zealand authorities were too complacent about Sars.

She said the entire tour group should have been quarantined when it was realised one of the party was sick.