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Kids escape brunt of killer SARS

A leading expert on the spread of diseases offered yesterday two explanations why children appear to be largely unaffected by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

With the latest number of SARS cases reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) soaring to 2,890, Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), professor of epidemiology from National Taiwan University, said child SARS cases remain rare.

"Most people who have fallen ill with SARS are adults. Only a small number of children have been infected with the disease," Chen said at a press conference in the Department of Health.

Chen said that one reason for this phenomenon might be that "children have less chances to talk to SARS victims face to face."

Ninety-nine percent of cases reported by the WHO were infected because of close contact with other SARS patients, Chen said.

Children are largely free from the infection perhaps because they don't have much chance to be in close contact with SARS victims, Chen said.

"The second reason why reported child victims of SARS are rare may be that SARS symptoms are less obvious in children," Chen said.

SARS symptoms, like symptoms of several other diseases, might be more perceivable in adults than in children.

It is possible that even when children have contracted SARS, they would not be classified as SARS cases because their symptoms are not easily detectable, Chen said.

Nevertheless, Chen noted the two explanations remain hypothetical, as the disease is an emerging one and more clinical evidence needs to be collected and analyzed before fuller explanations can be offered.

Meanwhile, Lee Lung-teng (李龍騰), deputy director-general of health department, said in the same press conference the national health insurance program will finance a SARS-hit Taiwanese couple staying in a Beijing hospital.

The couple is reported to be in a stable condition, Lee said.

Lee reiterated the claim that many countries have listed Taiwan as an infected area because the WHO deems Taiwan to be part of China, one of the hardest-hit areas by SARS.

Taiwan, however, does not match the WHO's definition of an "affected area," Lee said.

According to Lee, a Taiwanese tourist suspected of having SARS was also sent to a hospital in Thailand.

Thailand listed the tourist as a "suspect case" of SARS, Lee said, adding that although the tourist has recovered from his illness, the Thailand hospital still quarantined him.

At present, 1,489 people are under domestic quarantine nationwide, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) said.

Lee said the health department has asked hospitals under its direct supervision to provide wards to those who find it difficult to fulfill domestic quarantine requirements at their own residences.

According to the CDC, 150 SARS cases have been reported as of yesterday afternoon, with 23 probable cases and 37 suspect cases. Nineteen cases are to be verified and 71 cases have been ruled out as SARS.
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