Woman with Sars-like symptoms improving in Auckland Hospital

11.45am

A woman in an Auckland hospital with indications of the potentially lethal illness Sars is continuing to improve, health officials say.

Sars, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, has been blamed for up to 13 deaths worldwide since it spread from Asia, but the Health Ministry says there have been no confirmed cases in New Zealand.

The woman being kept in isolation at Green Lane Hospital was undergoing further assessment today, Auckland District Health Board spokeswoman Brenda Saunders said.

"We're waiting for the results, but at the moment she is improving in health," she said. "She is doing quite well."

Two other patients treated in Auckland for suspected symptoms of Sars were discharged from North Shore Hospital on Friday.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported 386 suspected or probable cases of the flu-like illness in various countries, with Hong Kong and the Vietnamese city of Hanoi being the worst affected areas.

WHO has also said a basic test for the virus that causes Sars might soon be available.

New Zealand director of public health Dr Colin Tukuitonga said a rapid and reliable test was needed to allow doctors to confirm genuine cases.

"It will certainly help to reduce the type of false alarms we get all the time now and help to identify potential treatment," he said.

"So, it's a significant step forward, but it's still a bit early to get too excited about it."

While WHO believed the virus had been contained outside Asia, Dr Tukuitonga said New Zealand was maintaining its vigilance and continuing to treat Sars as a serious threat.

- NZPA