Suspected SARS cases in Hawai'i up to five
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer
Two more suspected cases of SARS, the mysterious respiratory illness from Asia, have been identified in Hawai'i, but the two O'ahu women are recovering, health officials said yesterday.
For more information, call the CDC at 1-888-246-2675 or visit www.cdc.gov. Other information is available via the World Health Organization Web site, or the state Health Department Web site.
State health department officials have reported the two women, who recently visited China, as suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To learn more about disease
That makes five suspected cases in Hawai'i, although officials remain doubtful that the cases are the unknown ailment that has stricken more than 1,600 people and killed 58 people worldwide.
The CDC says no deaths in the United States have been reported.
Dr. Paul Effler, state epidemiologist, said the two women were part of a tour group that traveled to Northern China in mid-March.
Effler said officials had been aware of these cases earlier but only included them as suspicious after federal officials on Friday expanded the definition of suspected cases to include recent travel to anywhere in China, Hanoi, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore. The previous CDC advisory did not cover all of China, only Hong Kong and Guangdong province.
Health officials emphasized that while the cases meet the clinical definition of the disease, other members of the tour group started the trip with respiratory ailments.
The earlier three cases are a Kaua'i woman who came down with a fever and respiratory illness after returning from a trip to China, and two Wilcox Hospital healthcare workers who came in contact with her. One of the healthcare workers was hospitalized, then discharged, officials said, and the second worker did not require hospitalization.
Effler said all five of the women have either fully recovered or are expected to do so. However, until more information is determined about the illness and its cause, suspect cases cannot be ruled out.
The illness appears to be spread by close person-to-person contact, such as between a healthcare worker and a patient or among family members, officials said. There is no evidence at this time suggesting that the infection is spread through casual contact in large groups of people such as schools, churches and other public places.
Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino said the department contacts 45 health facilities statewide to pick up any possible suspect cases or spikes in the number of respiratory ailments.
"The department is maintaining increased surveillance," Fukino said. "The best defense against the transmission of illnesses like SARS is common-sense disease-prevention techniques, such as good hand hygiene."
The disease appears to have an incubation period of two to seven days and suspect cases must include fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and one or more respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and either close contact with a person diagnosed with SARS or recent travel to areas with documented transmission of SARS.
Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.
