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SARS epidemic: Taichung factory shuts after workers develop symptoms

A factory in Taichung County where six workers are suspected of having contracted SARS will have to suspend operations for two weeks, a county health official said yesterday.

"The six people -- five Thais and a Taiwanese driver -- have developed SARS-like symptoms, including a fever and a dry cough," said Huang Mei-na (黃美娜), director of the Taichung County Health Bur-eau. All six are in their 20s and 30s.

Huang said that the factory is located in Shenkang Township and mainly provides foodstuffs for breakfast shops. It has 79 employees, 12 of whom are from Thailand.

Huang said that her department, as well as labor officials and police, went to the factory to investigate all the employees, carry out disinfection work at the plant and conduct quarantine measures on the workers.

The health department has instructed the factory to suspend operations for two weeks and said it can resume work once it is cleared by the health department.

It was the first reported suspected SARS cases involving foreign laborers. The sick Taiwanese worker has not traveled overseas, but has been in contact with the Thai workers at the factory.

He was sent to Fengyuan Hospital and put under quarantine after showing signs of fever.

Health officials said that the five Thai workers, who have shown signs of fever and coughing, are also under quarantine at the hospital.

Officials were also trying to find out which other countries they might have traveled through and to trace any persons they might have been in contact with.

The suspected SARS patients have been sent to quarantine wards at two hospitals for treatment and observation, Huang said, adding that the factory's other workers have been placed under quarantine at the factory.

"We have reported the case to the Center for Disease Control under the Cabinet-level Department of Health and will keep close tabs on developments," Huang said, adding that her bureau will look into the flow of products from the plant and surrounding area.

Last month, Thailand mulled placing restrictions on Taiwanese travelers arriving in the South East Asian country.
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