About 20 SARS Cases Suspected in Russia

As Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov met Monday with vice-premiers and key ministers, mention was made of about 20 SARS cases suspected in Russia, none of which has proved positive. Health Minister Yury Shevchenko and Chief Sanitary Doctor Gennady Onishchenko said that the SARS virus was registered in 26 countries led by China. Physicians have revealed the SARS virus while in Vietnam the disease has been already curbed with no signs of new cases.

Shevchenko and Onishchenko also reported about the measures taken to prevent SARS cases in Russia, that is the establishment of a monitoring centre and a special group to research into the phenomenon. Special attention has been paid to the training and instructing of general practitioners as well as to sanitary measures at airports and railway terminals. Preventive medical activities have been carried out in frontier areas bordering on China.