By PHILIP ENGLISH AND AGENCIES
The mysterious respiratory virus Sars has claimed its eighth victim in the Canadian province of Ontario and a ninth death is under investigation.
The pneumonia-like disease is believed to have originated in China's southern Guangdong province and has spread through travellers to infect 2500 people worldwide. More than 90 have died.
Health officials in Ontario, where thousands of people have been quarantined to prevent the spread of Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) have warned that more infections are possible.
"We're still not out of the woods," said the Ontario Commissioner of Public Health in Toronto, Dr Colin D'Cunha.
"The increase in the number of cases is not a surprise."
Five of the eight deaths have involved people in their 70s. There are now 163 probable or suspected cases of Sars in the province, which has a large Chinese immigrant population.
Canada has the highest number of Sars sufferers after China and Hong Kong, and most are in Toronto.
In Hong Kong, which has a population of 7 million, 22 have died of Sars and 842 have been infected.
There have been reports of hotels in the city refusing to check in locals or guests from mainland China. Some doctors will not treat patients with high fever unless they are certified free of Sars.
A funeral parlour has refused to hold the funeral of a Sars victim.
No confirmed or suspected cases of Sars have yet been reported in New Zealand but the Ministry of Health continues to prepare for its arrival.
A spokeswoman said yesterday: "There's been nothing to suggest we should re-evaluate advice that is already out there at the moment."
Most wholesale supplies of high-filtration face masks have been bought up in bulk by a few district health boards.
Small retail stocks are almost sold out.
A working party set up under the Prime Minister's Department is investigating whether to buy enough masks for general practitioners and the public if there is widespread infection.
However, New Zealand Cricket is reconsidering proceeding with a tour of Sri Lanka.
The team is scheduled to fly to Sri Lanka via Singapore in a fortnight.
The Human Rights Commission has added its weight to calls for commonsense on Sars.
Chief commissioner Rosslyn Noonan said yesterday that there was no need to overreact to people coming to New Zealand from destinations where Sars was known to exist.
Ms Noonan's comment came after the Health Ministry last week took steps to quell rising fears over the disease, which had led to 43 Chinese delegates being asked to stay away from a sister city conference in Masterton.
Ms Noonan said the action was likely to be discriminatory, and highlighted the need for people to use commonsense.
Other concerns had been expressed about Asian students coming to the country from Sars-affected areas.
"There are no reasons to isolate or require any person returning to New Zealand from an infected area to take precautions if that person is feeling well and does not have any signs or symptoms of infection," Ms Noonan said.
"The issue of discrimination to one side, any arbitrary actions against people on the grounds of national origin would be ineffectual."
Sri Lanka has not reported any deaths relating to Sars but NZ Cricket says it will watch developments over the next week before making a final decision on the tour.
In Australia, six airline passengers in Perth and Sydney were detained for medical assessment in 24 hours over the weekend but all were cleared.
But four people, including a 2-year-old girl from Vietnam and three Canadian children from the same family, were in hospital in Melbourne under investigation.
Meanwhile China, which has suffered more than half of all deaths and infections from the disease, fears the effects of Sars on tourism and the flow of foreign direct investment.
Millions of Chinese are due to be on the move over the week-long May 1 Labour Day holidays.
China, which counts on three "Golden Week" holidays a year to help fuel consumer spending, appeared eager to keep public concern at a minimum.
"All of China's tourist attractions are guaranteed to be safe and healthy," a headline in the People's Daily said.
The public is not so sure.
Herald Feature: Mystery disease SARS
Related links
New death in Canada blamed on Sars virus
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