Beijing creates more hospitals as Sars spreads by 100 people a day

BEIJING - The Sars epidemic threatens to overwhelm China's hospitals and health officials from Canada and elsewhere have met in Toronto to seek ways to limit the spread of the deadly virus.

World health officials said not only was Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) here to stay, but its fatality rate was worsening as patients who had been lingering in hospitals succumbed to the virus.

In Hong Kong, an investigation is under way after 12 people who had recovered from Sars suffered relapses, raising concern that the virus could be retransmitted.

But experts hope they can share ideas for limiting the spread of Sars, which has killed more than 370 people, mainly in Asia.

In Beijing, a spike in the number of cases of Sars sparked widespread fear and some panic buying of medicines and staple foods. Acting Mayor Wang Qishan said more hospitals were being set up to handle Sars cases.

About 7000 construction workers toiled around the clock for eight days to build a new 1000-bed facility in a former cornfield north of Beijing.

Doctors say quickly isolating Sars patients is the key to preventing the disease from spreading and quick treatment may help patients survive.

Beijing is reporting more than 100 new Sars infections a day and a total of about 1400 cases with 75 deaths. The capital has already closed schools and theatres and put nearly 10,000 people under quarantine.

Canadian officials hope they have found the key to controlling the outbreak after being taken off the World Health Organisation's travel advisory list.

The WHO took Toronto off the list on Wednesday after 20 days passed without new infections being traced to Canadian soil. But 21 people have died of Sars in Canada and four more are seriously ill with the disease.

The WHO told Canada to step up screening of air passengers, and Canada announced tougher measures yesterday, saying passengers leaving Toronto and Vancouver airports must fill out a health questionnaire.

The WHO said Sars patients had left Canada and carried the disease to Australia, the United States and the Philippines.

Until now departing passengers have merely been invited to read through an information sheet listing the details of Sars. Health Minister Anne McLellan said airports would also test infrared machines that detect people with fevers.

"We hope to have at least one screening machine in place some time next week and that will be part of our pilot project," said McLellan, adding that Ottawa also wanted to test other technologies.

As China is still gripped by the epidemic, officials fear the virus will continue to be exported elsewhere.

Dr Paul Gully, senior director-general of Health Canada, said the consensus of experts from Canada, Hong Kong, the United States and WHO at the Toronto meeting was that the disease "is something we will have to live with".

Dr Alfred Lam Ping Yan, Hong Kong's deputy director of health, said: "This is a very useful mutual first step in the control of the disease."

But he added: "This disease will not disappear from the world and we need to see how we can control the disease and collaborate in the longer term."

Hong Kong medical authorities were investigating after 12 patients who recovered from Sars suffered relapses, as concerns grew that the virus could be retransmitted, experts said yesterday.

The hospital authority launched an inquiry over 12 Sars patients, who suffered relapses after being released from hospitals.

Six of the patients were back in hospitals and their condition was described as stable, while the other six have been released.

John Tam, microbiologist at the Chinese University, said authorities were investigating the cause of the relapses.

"But we need to take samples from the patients to test if the virus still exists," he said. "There is a risk of spreading to others if the virus still exists. We need a lot of investigations.

"It may be the suppressive drug used in the treatment is delaying the disappearance of the virus.

"At the moment, we don't have a definite way of treating Sars patients."

Sars has infected nearly 6000 people in 29 countries, killing at least 372. It is mainly passed by droplets through sneezing and coughing.

Symptoms include a high fever, dry cough and pneumonia, and there is no effective treatment other than good hospital care.

- REUTERS