Russia takes preventive measures against SARS in Far East

A series of sanitary measures to prevent the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are being taken in Russia's Far East, Vladislav Fisenko. the chief state medical officer for transport of the Far Eastern region, said on Wednesday.

Vladislav Fisenko said that in view of a real threat of SARS being carried into Russian territory shippers in the Far Eastern transport zone were instructed to restrict shore leaves for members of their crews when calling at Chinese ports.

When ships call at Chinese ports, it is necessary to measure the temperature of crew members daily and record it in a medical log throughout the entire stay and for 14 days after leaving the port.

Seamen are recommended to refrain from visiting places of entertainment and to wear face masks when going ashore.

Far Eastern airports will also take measures to prevent the virus of pneumonia-like illness from entering. In particular, passengers arriving from China will have their temperature taken.

According to Fisenko, China has officially confirmed two new cases of SARS infection and one lethal outcome.

The new cases were registered in Beijing and the eastern province of Anhui.

Since the beginning of 2004 four people in China have had SARS. All cases were reported from the province of Guangdong, which was hit by an epidemic of that disease in 2003.

Last year's SARS epidemic claimed almost 800 lives, and about 8,000 have had it in more than 30 countries. As specialists note, the last SARS case shows that the virus continues to circulate among the Chinese population.