Posted on: Saturday, March 22, 2003

3rd case of illness investigated

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer

Hawai'i health officials yesterday identified a third suspected case that fits the broad description of the mysterious respiratory illness from Asia, but say all three women have recovered and are unlikely to have contracted the new ailment.

The state Health Department indicated yesterday that the suspected 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.

As of yesterday afternoon, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was listing 22 suspected cases in 12 states. The World Health Organization said there are 350 suspected cases worldwide, with 10 deaths since Feb. 1. None of the deaths were in the United States.

State Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo said the second ill Wilcox staff member had a very mild illness and was not hospitalized. Department investigators are continuing to follow up with the people whom each woman contacted in the last few weeks, to see if any of them became ill.

But Okubo said they are nearing the end of the incubation period when health authorities believe the disease is contagious. Okubo said the second hospital staffer had been in contact with a family member with a respiratory illness before she encountered the woman who had traveled to China.

By yesterday afternoon, the CDC reported cases count tallied six in California, three in Hawai'i, two each in New York, North Carolina, Virginia and one each in Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah and Wisconsin.

The new cases, up from 13 the day before, bring to 12 the number of states now reporting possible cases of the disease, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS.

People are classified as a possible SARS case if they have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher; experience respiratory difficulties such as a cough or shortness of breath; returned recently from Hong Kong or Guangdong province in China, or from Hanoi, Vietnam, or from Toronto, Canada; or have had close contact with someone who has.

The CDC has handed out 35,000 fliers warning of the illness to travelers returning from Asia. This week, U.S. health officials intercepted five planes or boats with sick passengers.

Ill passengers are isolated and taken to healthcare facilities. The other passengers were required to give officials information of their whereabouts for the next two weeks so they can be notified if needed, said Dr. Marty Cetron, a CDC quarantine expert.

Advertiser news services contributed to this report.